Sister Jean Dolores Schmidt, the spirited chaplain of Loyola Chicago’s men’s basketball team who rose to international fame during the university’s remarkable 2018 NCAA Final Four run, has died at the age of 106, Loyola University announced Thursday night.
Known affectionately as “Sister Jean,” the beloved nun passed away after stepping down from her active duties in August due to health challenges. The university said she continued to serve as an adviser in her final months, remaining a guiding presence for students and faculty alike.
“For more than 60 years, Sister Jean was an invaluable source of wisdom and grace for generations of students, faculty, and staff,” said Loyola President Mark C. Reed. “While we feel grief and a sense of loss, there is great joy in her legacy. Her presence was a profound blessing for our entire community.”
Born Dolores Bertha Schmidt in San Francisco on August 21, 1919, she joined the Sisters of Charity of the Blessed Virgin Mary in 1937 and devoted her life to teaching, spiritual mentorship, and education. Her unwavering faith, humor, and compassion became an integral part of Loyola’s identity.
Sister Jean became a national figure during the 2018 NCAA Tournament, where her pregame prayers, postgame emails, and spirited support for the Ramblers captured hearts far beyond Chicago. At age 98, she became the face of Loyola’s improbable run to the Final Four, fielding interviews, inspiring millions, and even earning her own bobblehead.
Her influence extended beyond basketball. Sister Jean authored a bestselling memoir in 2023 titled “Wake Up with Purpose! What I’ve Learned in My First 100 Years,” in which she reflected on her century of faith, service, and joy.
Her connection with students remained deeply personal. Living in campus dorms on and off since 1978, she frequently joined students for lunch, led prayer sessions, and encouraged acts of service. “I love life so much and enjoy being with young people,” she told the Associated Press in 2023. “They’re the ones who keep me going.”
Sister Jean’s calling began early at just eight years old and led her to decades of service in education across Chicago and California. She joined Loyola in the early 1990s after Mundelein College merged with the university, soon becoming the men’s basketball chaplain in 1994 a role she called “the most transformational and transcendent position” of her life.
Her life was marked by national and papal recognition. She received an Apostolic Blessing from Pope Francis at 100, a proclamation from President Joe Biden on her 105th birthday, and tributes from Illinois Governor JB Pritzker and countless admirers who saw in her a living symbol of faith, perseverance, and joy.
President Biden once wrote to her, “You have shown us all that yours is a life well lived.”
Sister Jean is survived by her sister-in-law, Jeanne Tidwell, and her niece, Jan Schmidt. Loyola University said plans for a memorial service will be announced in the coming days.
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