CINCINNATI — Simon Leis, who served Hamilton County as sheriff, prosecutor and judge over a 40-year career, died Saturday, June 27, at the age of 92.
Leis was diagnosed with stage four cancer four years ago. His daughter, Julie Raleigh, said her father faced the illness the same way he faced everything else — without backing down.
"Dad was larger than life. He was a fighter. He was a bad ass bulldog we called him. He never gave up. You know, when he got the diagnosis of cancer, he said, 'I'm going to fight to the end.' His oncologist kept saying, 'Are you sure?' And he said, 'Nope, Marines fight 'til the end. He said, I'm going to fight and he did. He fought for every last breath," Raleigh said.
Raleigh said the public image of her father as a tough, no-nonsense lawman and ex-Marine was only part of who he was.
"He was a big teddy bear. He really was as a dad. He instilled in us always doing the right thing, but he was lovable, especially in the end. He just, he really loved on the family," Raleigh said.
WATCH: The former prosecutor and sheriff's daughter talks about his legacy
Leis is survived by his children, 10 grandchildren and 2 great-grandchildren. His life also carried deep loss. He lost his only son, Simon, at a young age. In 2019, Raleigh's daughter Madi, Leis' granddaughter, died from suicide at the age of 24.
Raleigh said her father took Madi's death hard and worked to help her through her mental health and substance use struggles before she died.
"Losing Madi at the young age of 24, it was hard on my dad. My dad worked hard with Madi to try to help her get through her mental health struggles and her substance use disorder, but I know they were up there, they're up there dancing. They're up there dancing," Raleigh said.
Raleigh and her husband, WCPO 9 First Warning Chief Meteorologist Steve Raleigh, founded Madi's House in their daughter's name to help teens and young people facing mental health and substance abuse challenges. A wellness and fitness center is planned for the Madi's House campus, and Raleigh said she intends to name it after her father.
The idea came after Leis told her he had never been honored with a public namesake.
"There's not a courtroom named after me. There's not a street name. My dear friend Buddy La Rosa and Jeff Ruby have a street. I don't even have a street name. I have nothing," Raleigh recalled her father saying.
That conversation stayed with her.
"I took it to the board, and I said, 'What do you think if we named it the Si Leis Wellness and Fitness Center?'" Raleigh said.
She said the center will carry on her father's commitment to the community.
"We've got to help these teens. We need to do more in the community for our youth as far as mental health is concerned. So we're going to do it here at Madi's House in dad's honor," Raleigh said.
A visitation for Leis will be held Friday, July 10, from 9 to 11 a.m. at the Cathedral Basilica of St. Peter in Chains in Cincinnati. A funeral mass will follow.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
