Sister Jean dies at 106, Loyola chaplain famed for 2018 Final Four

Sister Jean Dolores Schmidt, the longtime chaplain and campus minister for Loyola University Chicago who became a national figure during the men's basketball team's 2018 Final Four run, has died. Loyola announced late Thursday that Sister Jean was 106 years old. The university called her death a tremendous loss and asked for privacy as the community grieves.

Sister Jean, a member of the Sisters of Charity of the Blessed Virgin Mary, spent more than six decades at Loyola in roles that included teacher, academic advisor and team chaplain. She began teaching at Mundelein College in 1961 and remained with the institution when it merged with Loyola in 1991. In 1994 she took on duties with the men’s basketball program as an academic advisor and later served as the team’s chaplain. She was inducted into the Loyola Athletics Hall of Fame in 2017.

Her public profile surged in 2018 when the Ramblers, seeded 11th, advanced to the Final Four. Then 98 years old, she drew attention for her courtside presence, pregame prayers and detailed scouting notes on opponents. Her visibility continued in later years as she made appearances at games and public events into her 100s, becoming a familiar...