Carol Ann Rotert

Carol Ann (Roleke) Rotert passed away peacefully surrounded by family at the Kansas City Hospice House on August 18, 2024, after a brief battle with brain cancer. Carol was born on March 24, 1941, in Kansas City, Missouri, the long-awaited sixth child of Justus Winfred “Fritz” Roleke and Regina Christine (Kennedy) Roleke. The baby of her family, Carol was adored by her parents and doted on by her five older siblings. A graduate of St Francis Xavier Elementary School (1954) and St. Teresa’s Academy High School (1958), Carol’s early education was rooted in Catholic faith. Following high school and inspired by her Catholic beliefs and beloved teachers, she made the decision to pursue a life of religious service. After joining the Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet in St. Louis, MO, she attended Fontbonne College, earning a bachelor’s degree in mathematics with minors in both history and music. From there, she pursued a master’s degree in mathematics through an NSF grant from the University of New York at Buffalo. During her 15 years with the community, Carol taught math and music in parochial and private schools sponsored by the Sisters of St. Joseph in Ishpeming, MI; Hannibal, MO; Augusta, GA; St. Louis, MO; and finally, Kansas City, MO. She remembered these years fondly and those she met along the way became lifelong friends.

Following Carol’s return to Kansas City in 1974, she made the difficult decision to leave the convent and pursue a life outside of the sisterhood. She eventually joined a single’s club at Redemptorist parish where she met and eventually married the love of her life, a farm boy from Montrose, MO, Raphael Rotert, in 1976. She and Raph had two daughters - Regina (Rotert) Saunders in 1978 and Lisa (Rotert) Voges in 1979. In addition to starting a family in those first years back in Kansas City, Carol also began her career with the Kansas City School District where she remained for the next 28 years - she spent 20 years as a math teacher at Bingham Junior High, Lincoln High School, then Southwest Math and Science Magnet, and 8 years as a secondary math coordinator for the district. She taught thousands of students over the course of those years and was well-respected by both students and peers for always demanding her student’s best efforts in her classroom. She leaves a legacy of helping countless students learn to believe in themselves - many went on to do great things in their lives. Some even ended up actually liking math - a great accomplishment in her book! She operated with enthusiasm and positivity in the classroom and truly led a life in humble service to others.

Over the years, Raph and Carol’s shared love of family and faith led to their nearly 30 year marriage until it was cut short by Raph’s untimely passing in 2004. Though heartbroken, Carol continued to live life to the fullest but never chose to remarry. She spent those years traveling the world with friends, keeping up with her active social calendar, and visiting her daughters and their families in their respective cities. She also maintained and frequently visited the lake house she and Raph built at the Lake of the Ozarks right up until her diagnosis in June of 2024. Sharing the lake with family and friends was one of her favorite past times - she grew up going to Lake Lotawana with her family, raised her own children to love the lake, and appreciated the joys of its beauty in her later years. The lake house was a true labor of love.

Carol will be lovingly remembered for the exceptional life she led devoted to family, friends, and faith. As her name suggests, she truly lived “in joyful song”. She was intelligent, independent, talented, and had a laugh that was contagious. She lit up any room with her fun-loving nature and gift of gab. Never meeting a stranger, she had a genuine interest in everyone she met. Carol was inquisitive - her love of learning was ever-present. She will be remembered as a committed teacher whether the subject was math or music in the classroom or water skiing off the back of a boat. She was a connector of people and enjoyed organizing activities for her many groups of friends. She will be remembered for her musical talent - she shared her gifts by playing the organ and piano for countless masses and weddings over the years, leading the family Christmas caroling during the holidays, and simply playing for fun. Her daughters and their families enjoyed the music that filled the house when grandma was in town. She was the keeper of the family tree and played an integral part in planning the many reunions her extended family enjoyed over the years. She will be remembered as a loving wife, sister, aunt, cousin, mother and grandmother; she selflessly cared for several of her siblings and then her husband during their prolonged illnesses showing those she loved exactly what family meant to her. She was a fearless leader who stood up for her beliefs and lived every day to the fullest. A true force of nature.

Carol was preceded in death by her parents, her five siblings; Aileen (Roleke) Mankameyer, Wilma J. Roleke, James Roleke, Rita (Roleke) Tobin, and Richard Roleke, and her husband, Raphael Rotert. She is survived by her two daughters, Gina Saunders (Bob) and Lisa Voges (Brandon), six grandchildren; Raph, Ellie, Ross, Emmett, Evan, and Eddie, and countless nieces, nephews, great-nieces, great-nephews, and cousins. She will be deeply missed.

A visitation will be held on Friday, September 6, 2024 from 5:00-8:00 PM at McGilley State Line Chapel, 12301 State Line Road, Kansas City, MO 64145. Mass of Christian Burial will be Saturday, September 7, 2024 at 10:00 AM at St. Thomas More Catholic Church, 11822 Holmes Road, Kansas City, MO 64131, followed by the committal service at Mt. Olivet Catholic Cemetery, 7601 Blue Ridge Blvd., Raytown, MO 64138. After the conclusion of services, the family invites friends and family to a celebration of life reception at Rye KC, 10551 Mission Road, Leawood, KS.

Memorial contributions may be made in Carol’s name to the American Brain Tumor Association https://www.abta.org/ or Kansas City Hospice https://kchospice.org