Sister Jean death: Former Loyola, current Oklahoma coach Porter Moser pens heartfelt statement

Jean Dolores Schmidt, better known as Sister Jean, passed away Thursday night. She was 106. 

Sister Jean was the longtime chaplain to the Loyola-Chicago men’s basketball team. She lent a helping hand to the program as an academic advisor in 1994 and stayed on as the team’s chaplain until her retirement last month. She stepped away from the program due to concerns over her health.

Jean became a national figure during Loyola-Chicago‘s run to the Final Four in the 2018 NCAA Tournament. The coach of that team, Porter Moser, released a statement on her passing on Friday afternoon on Twitter/X.

“Sister started every prayer during my time with her at Loyola the same: ‘good and gracious God…’ those words were so her,” Moser said. “She had a time for everyone and she he had a kind word for everyone. She listened and gave encouragement to everyone, and had true self purpose to help others. What a legacy to leave behind.”

“So today as we all mourn the death of our dear friend Sister Jean, my heart is sad but also filled with joy and gratitude for my time spent with her and the impact she had on my life and so many others. So I know this… I will be talking about Sister Jean for years to come. Her unparalleled positivity and energy for life. To the best of my ability, I will be sharing her purpose to help others. And from time to time, I will be praying to her… ‘good and gracious Sister Jean, I miss you and glad you are home!’

Moser spent 10 seasons at Loyola-Chicago (2011-2021), where he led the Ramblers to a 188-141 record, a CBI Championship in 2015, a Final Four appearance in 2018 and a Sweet Sixteen appearance in 2021. Following the 2020-21 season, he was hired at Oklahoma. In his four seasons coaching the Sooners, Moser is 74-59 with an NCAA Tournament appearance this past season.

Sister Jean touched many, many lives in her life well lived

“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, via release. “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.”

Throughout her life, she has been recognized for her contributions toward her faith. One such highlight came during her 100th birthday when she received an Apostolic Blessing from Pope Francis. Additionally, her legacy will live on after her 103rd birthday when the university renamed the Loyola CTA Red Line plaza after her. Last year, she was also recognized by President Joe Biden for her lifetime service.

Sister Jean is survived by her sister-in-law, Jeanne Tidwell, as well as her niece, Jan Schmidt. Visitation and funeral arrangements will be announced by the University at a later time.

On3’s Barkley Truax contributed to this article.