(CHICAGO) — Sister Jean Dolores Schmidt, BVM, a beloved member of the Loyola University Chicago community and iconic chaplain to the Loyola men’s basketball team, died on October 9, 2025, at the age of 106.
Though long known for her many roles on Loyola’s campus, Sister Jean became an international celebrity during the 2018 NCAA “March Madness” tournament, accompanying the Loyola Ramblers as they reached the Final Four for the first time since their historic 1963 national championship season. Sister Jean cheered the team on from the sidelines that season and for all the years in between, so her presence as the team’s chaplain in 2018 at the age of 98 captured the attention of the media, and she became one of the most talked-about topics of the tournament. Sister Jean merchandise also sold swiftly, including t-shirts bearing her motto of “Worship, Work, Win” and bobblehead figures made in her likeness.
“In many roles at Loyola over the course of more than 60 years, Sister Jean was an invaluable source of wisdom and grace for generations of students, faculty, and staff,” Loyola President Mark C. Reed said. “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 and her spirit abides in thousands of lives. In her honor, we can aspire to share with others the love and compassion Sister Jean shared with us.”
Born Dolores Bertha Schmidt on August 21, 1919, she joined the Sisters of Charity of the Blessed Virgin Mary in 1937, taking the name Sister Jean Dolores. A native of San Francisco, Sister Jean taught at several Catholic schools in both Chicago and California before first coming to the Lake Shore Campus in 1961 to teach at Mundelein College. She held numerous roles at Mundelein over the next 30 years until the college affiliated with Loyola in 1991. In 1994, Sister Jean took on an academic advisor role with the men’s basketball team and later transitioned to team chaplain. She long maintained a key role in supporting the team, offering both spiritual support and practical advice on the players’ game performance.
“Sister Jean Dolores was a woman of prayer, dedicated educator, and a bearer of hope who loved her BVM Community,” BVM President LaDonna Manternach said. “She saw God present in all that surrounded her and trusted in His goodness. Her presence with us will be greatly missed.”
In addition to her work with Loyola’s basketball team, Sister Jean also held weekly prayer groups for students and started a program called SMILE (Students Moving Into the Lives of the Elderly), which paired Loyola students with residents of The Clare, the assisted living community on the Water Tower Campus that she called home for many years. She received many honors at the University, including an induction into the Loyola Athletics Hall of Fame in 2017. In 2018, she was awarded the Sword of Loyola.
Throughout the years, Sister Jean received recognition from church and world leaders thanking her for her joy and service. For her 100th birthday, Sister Jean received an Apostolic Blessing from Pope Francis. At her 103rd birthday celebration on August 21, 2022, the Loyola CTA Red Line plaza was renamed in her honor—and Sister Jean received proclamations from both Governor JB Pritzker and Mayor Lori E. Lightfoot dedicating the day in her honor. Her memoir Wake Up with Purpose!: What I’ve Learned in My First Hundred Years was co-authored with Seth Davis and published in February 2023. On her 105th birthday, Sister Jean received a proclamation from President Joe Biden in recognition of her lifetime of service.
More details about Sister Jean’s remarkable life can be found on LUC.edu/sisterjean.
Sister Jean is survived by her sister-in-law, Jeanne Tidwell, and her niece, Jan Schmidt, of San Francisco and Chicago respectively. Visitation and funeral arrangements will be announced shortly by the University.
