CHICAGO — Loyola University’s iconic Sister Jean has died. She was 106.

Sister Jean, who died Thursday, retired last month after decades championing the school. She became a nationally known figure as she worked the sidelines at Loyola basketball games as the men’s basketball team chaplain.

Sister Jean was born Dolores Bertha Schmidt on Aug. 21, 1919, in San Francisco, according to Loyola. From a young age, she knew she wanted to devote her life to religion.

In 1938, Jean became a member of the Sisters of Charity of the Blessed Virgin Mary and took on the name Sister Jean Dolores. She joined Mundelein College, Loyola’s now-defunct sister school, in 1961 to teach and remained there when the school was bought by Loyola University.

Jean became the Loyola men’s basketball team chaplain in

See Full Page