Page 26 - July August CBA Report

MEMORIALS
Dee Sheriff-MacDonald
1943 ­ – 2024
Dee Sheriff-MacDonald passed away
on September 19, 2024 at the age of
80. Born Darlene Catherine Sheriff in
Covington, Ky., on November 30, 1943 to
humble beginnings, Dee went on to lead
an amazing and colorful life. She started
out as an elementary school teacher and
was motivated to become a nurse after the death of her first child,
Stephen. During an extremely successful nursing career leading
several departments in two separate hospitals she attended Chase
College of Law in the evenings.
Dee graduated third in her class from Chase in 1984 and went
to work as a law clerk for Federal Judge William Bertelsman in
Covington. She began her litigation career at Lindhorst & Drei-
dame in Cincinnati. She later became a founding partner of
Martin, Bailey & MacDonald and spent the last several years of
her career as a partner at Freund, Freeze & Arnold. Dee primarily
defended doctors and hospitals in malpractice cases throughout
her career and was highly respected by clients, colleagues, and
opponents alike. She was voted a Super Lawyer in medical
malpractice defense by her peers. She retired in 2007.
After retirement Dee took up oil painting and was prolific in
her artistic endeavors. She became part of a group of oil painters
at Baker Hunt in Covington and they became good friends over a
period of many years. Dee was driven and excelled at everything
she did, and painting was no exception.
Dee and her husband, attorney Mark MacDonald, were
married for 20 years and loved traveling the world and spending
time with children and grandchildren.
Dee cheated death several times over the years, beating breast
cancer among other things. She was able to enjoy life almost to
the very end despite her long final illness. Dee is survived by her
husband, Mark A. MacDonald; children, Cristopher (Mary Lisa)
Pieper and Anna Marie Pieper; grandchildren, Benjamin Pieper,
Luke Pieper and Brandon(Carolyn) Brown; great grandchildren,
Burke and Claire Brown; and brother, Joseph Sheriff.
Robert K. Roeller
1936 – 2025
Robert K. Roeller (Bob) passed away
on February 20, 2025 at the age of 88. Bob
was a graduate of Hughes High School
where he was an accomplished gymnast
and a proud Eagle Scout. After gradu-
ating from the University of Cincinnati
and UC College of Law in 1962, he began
his legal career as an officer in the U.S. Army JAG Corps stationed
at Fort Leonard Wood, MO.
After proudly serving his country, he joined his father, Orville,
in the practice of law under the firm name of Roeller and Roeller.
He focused on Social Security disability and Ohio Workers’
Compensation claims, along with personal injury and probate
work in his later years. Bob practiced law for over 50 years and
was known by his legal peers as an attorney who was constantly
thinking “outside the box.” The idea of “casual dress” was foreign
to Bob who never appeared in his office other than dressed in
coat and tie, a lesson taught to him by his father. He was a past
president of the Cincinnati Chapter of the Federal Bar Associa-
tion and a member of the Cincinnati, Ohio, and American Bar
Associations.
Outside of the practice of law, Bob enjoyed the acquisition and
sale of real estate, as well as being an ardent collector of antique
automobiles. Beyond his devotion to his clients, real estate, and
antique cars, was his love for his wife, Marilyn, who died at the
early age of 54. Throughout her fight with breast cancer and
multiple sclerosis, Bob was a devoted caregiver while working
tirelessly to find the right doctors and hoped for cures. Bob and
Marilyn met at a dance in Ault Park, and they continued to dance
even in her later years when Marilyn was confined to a wheelchair.
Bob is survived by his three children: R. Kenneth (Connie)
Roeller, R. Khristopher (Kelli) Roeller, Rene Kathleen Roeller; and
one grandchild, Jacob L. Roeller.
26 THE REPORT | July/August 2025 | CincyBar.org