I am new to roses, but not to gardening in general. I can get you strated, and others will chime in, I am sure.

First, you are correct in choosing a rose that is hardy in your zone. (I am N Illinois, too!) If you buy a rose that has been grafted, as many potted roses at nurseries are, you must be sure and bury your graft unnion a few inches to protect it from the winter. Your canes might dieback, but if the roots and graft union remain intact your rose will grow back.

Lots of things can kill a rose: pests, underwatering, freeze, disease.

The most important thing is to be sure your planting hole is prime growing conditions, and be sure the rose gets enough water. Deep watering once a week is better than shallow every other day.

Most roses appreciate a good snack or two during the growing season; organics are my choice because I feel they feed the soil while I feed my rose. The two are irrevocably related. Healthy soil produces a healthier rose that is less prone to disease and inscet pressure.

I am not sure what your officemate means, "not watering her perrennials anymore because of what happened." Did she overwater? Underwater?

How high maintainance roses are depends on what you want to put into them and what you are willing to accept. If you can live with some insect damage and diseases and plant those that are relatively disease resistant and cold hardy, they can be easy to care for. Proper planting location can determine a large part of how carefree they will be. Good air circulation and at least 6 hours of sun will hold back diseases. Planting the more tender grafted hybrid teas and other grafted modern roses with the bud union 4-6 inches deep will make them more likely to sutvive our winters. Choosing hardy shrub varieties such as the Canadian Explorers, Parkland series, Knockouts, hybrid rugosas and other proven hardy varieties will mean you won't have to worry much about winter protection.
Buying your roses from reputible suppliers and not getting the less expensive bagged roses from the big box stores will get you healthier plants more apt to grow well and get established the first season. Planting early enough will mean a larger root system the first year which means a hardier bush. Bushes planted in late season won't have an established root system and are more likely not to survive the first winter. If you don't research the roses you choose to buy, you must accept that some may not be cold hardy or prone to diseases. There are websites devoted to growing roses in cold climates and rose societies in your area that joining will give you access to lots of information not otherwise available except by the trial and error method. Send me an e-mail with your city and I'll see if there is a rose society or consulting rosarian in your area. Go to my website listed below for lots of information you'll need for growing roses in cold climates.
In other words ask questions and do the research now instead of after you've spent lots of money on your roses.

Here is a link that might be useful: Rosenuts webpage.

Sorry, I was confusing about the story I mentioned regarding my officemate. What I really meant was that, after her roses died, she didn't pay attention to her other perennials anymore. She was so sad that she doesn't go to her backyard anymore. She said, she might do it next year.

Here are some roses that thrive in my garden without spraying or winter protection. I buy 40 lb sacks of 12-12-12 or 10-10-10 fertilizer at walmart or home depot.

Buck Roses (your best bet)
Earthsong
Quietness
Griff's Red
Honeysweet

Old Garden Roses (OGRs)
Rose de Rescht
Jacques Cartier
Reine des Violettes

Austin English Roses
Abraham Darby
Evelyn

I get most of my roses from Roses Unlimited in South Carolina (http://www.rosesunlimitedownroot.com/).
Reine des Violettes was a "Scentsational" selection available at Home Depot in early spring.
I have also bought some roses from The Growing Place in Aurora and Naperville IL.

Hi, I am fairly new to roses, and I have heard here that you bury the graft? That is very new to me :)

So even if the stems die back, this doesn't cause a disease problem? The roots just come back anyway.

Does this also apply to rose divisions and transplants? Is it ok to bury a transplant 4-6" deeper than the level that it grew?

v1rtu0s1ty, good to see you here! I answered you in the perennials forum. I am sure you will get great responses here.

maplebirch, that is the problem--the roots coming back. The rootstock on a grafted rose is a different variety. If the top dies back and the rootstock lives, you're going to end up with a different (and likely less pleasing) rose. Also, we don't want to hijack v1rtu0s1ty's thread, so you might want to start another discussion if you have lots of questions.

Good point :)

I will read other posts for a while, first.