KENWOOD — Marie Niehoff Grote used to joke that she ordained more than 200 priests while working as secretary to the rector at the old St. Mary of the West Seminary.

        She proudly called them her boys, and she kept in touch with them after they left the seminary. In fact, at the time of her death, she was writing letters to each of them, “encouraging them during this difficult time for the Church and telling them how much she appreciated their work,” said her daughter Jane Grote of Norwood.

        Mrs. Grote died Friday of respiratory failure at Jewish Hospital. The longtime Norwood resident, who had moved to Kenwood in recent years, was 81.

        Marie Niehoff grew up in Norwood and was a 1939 graduate of Regina High School. She “wore her Regina High School ring from that time on,” said her daughter.

        “Her real love was the Catholic Church.”

        Mrs. Grote began working for the seminary in the 1970s, continuing until it moved from Norwood to Mount Washington in 1980. She was also active at SS. Peter and Paul Church and School and, in later years, volunteered in the offices at Bethesda North Hospital.

        An avid sports fan, she followed the Reds, Bengals and, especially, the Notre Dame Fighting Irish football team. “She grew up listening to Notre Dame,” her daughter said. “We knew not to disturb her on Saturday afternoons during the football games.”

        Mrs. Grote was married to Richard G. Grote, a former Hamilton County jury commissioner, for 47 years before his death in 1993.

        In addition to her daughter Jane, survivors include: two sons, Larry Grote of Columbus and Tom Grote of McCall, Idaho; two other daughters, Susan Grote of Kenwood and Kathy Grote of Hyde Park; two brothers, Gregory Niehoff of Norwood and Ralph Niehoff of Finneytown; and four grandchildren.

        Mass of Christian burial will be at 11 a.m. Thursday at Holy Trinity Church, 5301 Montgomery Road in Norwood. Burial will be at St. Mary Cemetery in St. Bernard.

        Memorials: St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, 501 St. Jude Place, Memphis, TN 38105; or the Norwood Food Closet, 2059 Sherman Ave., Norwood 45212.

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