Sister Jean Dolores Schmidt, the beloved nun and chaplain who inspired millions with her faith, wisdom, and unshakable love of basketball, has passed away at the age of 106. Known simply as “Sister Jean,” she became a national sensation in her later years, but her influence reached far beyond the basketball court.
Born Dolores Bertha Schmidt on August 21, 1919, in San Francisco, she grew up in a devout Catholic family and felt her calling to religious life at a very young age. “I was in third grade when I met a kind, joyful teacher who belonged to the Sisters of Charity of the Blessed Virgin Mary,” she once recalled in her memoir. Brimming with admiration, she would pray every day: “Dear God, help me understand what I should do, but please tell me I should become a BVM sister.” As she later wrote, “I guess God listened to me on that one.”
She entered religious life in 1937, taking the name Sister Jean Dolores, and went on to dedicate her life to teaching and ministry. Over the years, she taught at Catholic schools in California and Illinois before joining Loyola University Chicago, where she became an academic adviser and eventually the chaplain for the men’s basketball team in 1994.
While she had already touched generations of students and faculty with her warmth and faith, it was during the 2018 NCAA Tournament that the world truly met Sister Jean. The then-98-year-old chaplain became a household name as she cheered on the Loyola Ramblers during their Cinderella run to the Final Four. She offered prayers, encouragement, and even scouting analysis to the team, all from her wheelchair on the sidelines.
Her joy and presence captivated the country. Reporters joked that her press conference at the tournament drew more media than Tom Brady at the Super Bowl. Socks, bobbleheads, T-shirts, and even a Lego statue bore her likeness. When a CNN correspondent told her she was a celebrity, she laughed and replied: “I know. That’s what they tell me.”
Former President Barack Obama gave her a social media shoutout, and her recognition didn’t stop there. She received an Apostolic Blessing from Pope Francis for her 100th birthday and an award from President Joe Biden honoring her service when she turned 105.
Even into her later years, Sister Jean remained active. She joined the team during the 2021 NCAA Tournament at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, vaccinated and masked, and in 2023, she traveled to New York with Loyola for the Atlantic 10 Tournament. Appearing on Fox & Friends that same year, she shared her secret to long life: “Well, I tell people when they ask me that question that I eat well, I sleep well and, hopefully, I pray well. My basketball team, it keeps me young. All these young people keep me young at heart. I can’t walk, but they keep me young at heart.”
After more than six decades of service at Loyola, Sister Jean officially retired just weeks before her passing. Loyola President Mark C. Reed remembered her as “an invaluable source of wisdom and grace for generations of students, faculty, and staff.” He added, “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.”
Illinois Governor JB Pritzker also paid tribute, writing: “Sister Jean was a role model in Illinois — inspiring us to embrace our neighbors.”
Sister Jean witnessed more than a century of history, from the Great Depression and World War II to the building of the Golden Gate Bridge — which she remembered walking across on opening day in 1937. Through it all, she carried herself with faith, humility, and joy.
Her story reminds us that you’re never too old to inspire the world. At 106, Sister Jean leaves behind a legacy of faith, love, and hope that will live on in every life she touched.