Sister Jean Dolores Schmidt died at the age of 106 on Thursday, Loyola University-Chicago announced.
Sister Jean served as the chaplain of the Loyola-Chicago’s men’s basketball team since 1994, according to ESPN.
She became a March Madness icon during the Loyola Ramblers’ 2018 run to the Final Four. It was the team’s first Final Four appearance since it won the national championship in 1963.
Sister Jean retired from her role as chaplain earlier this year following her birthday, “amid growing health concerns,” the university’s student newspaper, The Loyola Phoenix, reported in September.
“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.”
She was born Dolores Bertha Schmidt on Aug. 21, 1919, but took the name Sister Jean Dolores in 1937 after joining the Sisters of Charity of the Blessed Virgin Mary.
Before becoming the team’s chaplain and briefly its academic adviser, she taught for 30 years at Mundelein College, which became affiliated with Loyola in 1991.
Sister Jean’s memorable pregame prayers
Sister Jean’s pregame prayers over the Loyola men’s basketball team would often go viral for including her own scouting report on their opponent.
Here are four of Sister Jean’s memorable pregame prayers from over the years.
Social media tributes to Sister Jean
Following the news of her death, tributes were paid to Sister Jean on social media. Here are some of those tributes.