John Peter "Jack" Schmidt

John Peter Schmidt, affectionately known as "Jack," passed from this life to his heavenly home on Thursday, October 23, 2025, in Cleveland, Georgia, at the age of 88.

Born April 11, 1937, in Haverford Township, Delaware County, Pennsylvania, Jack was the third of five children born to Noel and Martha Wolfington Schmidt. From an early age, he had a knack for adventure, whether playing war with "bomb" bricks, climbing trees, riding his bike all over town or running errands after dark (sometimes accidentally landing in fuel tank holes!). He loved listening to The Shadow and The Don McNeill Breakfast Club on the radio and spent his youth exploring the world with curiosity and joy.

Jack excelled at varsity football for three years at West Catholic High School in Philadelphia where he graduated in 1955. As a teenager he also worked alongside his family at Schmidt Furniture in Lansdowne. Seeking a life of service and purpose, he entered the Novitiate of the Augustinian Fathers in New Hamburg, New York, in September 1956. When not immersed in study or prayer, he could usually be found repairing something or swinging from trees pruning out dead wood if he hadn't yet decided to cut them down.

Jack went on to attend Villanova University, where he earned a Bachelor of Science degree with a concentration in Mathematics. In 1961, he then continued his Theological studies at Augustinian College in Washington, DC. Upon completion of his Master's Degree, he was ordained at St. Thomas of Villanova Church on January 30, 1965 and celebrated his first Mass at St. Dorothy's Church in Drexel Hill, PA on January 31, 1965.

Father Schmidt served as a math teacher and Dean of Men at Archbishop Carroll High School in Washington, D.C., until May 1973. During his tenure, he also coached freshman football and a variety of other sports. A natural leader and tireless servant, he poured his energy into strengthening every community he joined: demonstrating alongside Protestant and Jewish clergy at the Lincoln Memorial for the Civil Rights Act in 1964, delivering milk and food during the D.C. riots in 1968, knocking on doors to help pass the Fair Housing Act in 1968, feeding the hungry with food drives at Carroll and offering his time and heart wherever he could find that help was needed. As Procurator of the Priory at Carroll, he totally renovated the dining area and an unused storage room to create spaces where the Priests and visitors could gather together in an atmosphere of community as encouraged by Vatican II. During the summers, Jack returned to the Villanova area, where he created summer camps at Cabrini College for inner-city children from Philadelphia. Ever resourceful, he and his close friend Father John Mink jokingly called themselves "Botch and Conceal", a home-repair duo whose efforts didn't always go as planned but always came with laughter and love.

While remaining steadfast in his Catholic faith, Jack felt called to a new form of service. He left the Augustinians in June of 1973 and became a public school teacher in Prince George's County, Maryland, teaching math and serving as the assistant football coach at Surrattsville High School. At the age of 36 and with no financial credit to his name, he proudly received his first professional paycheck, marking the beginning of a new and fulfilling chapter.

That chapter included a life of love and family with Janice Lucille Sweatt. The two were married on August 3, 1974, and together built a life filled with devotion, laughter, and purpose. They welcomed three children: Michael, Mark, and Susan, who became the center of their world. Jack's "Botch and Conceal" spirit continued at home as he took on the ambitious project of digging out the ground beneath their first home in Lanham, Maryland, to create a basement. With the help of the Surrattsville football team, the dig-out was a success and became one of many beloved family legends.

Throughout his life, Jack worked tirelessly, teaching day and night. He tutored in the evenings and taught night school. With the cooperation of an English teacher he created the first ever SAT Prep class curriculum which began at Surrattsville High School and was soon adopted and applied throughout the entire County. During the summers, he taught summer school to help students get their diplomas as well as Upward Bound at Georgetown University. His unwavering dedication was always rooted in love: providing for his family, modeling faith, and nurturing his children's character and dreams. Despite long work hours, his time with family was intentional and joy-filled. He spent countless hours guiding his children on their paths, sharing his contagious laugh, volunteering for their programs and always being available to lend a listening ear.

After 30 years of teaching at Surrattsville, Jack retired from Prince George's County Schools and returned to where it all began, Archbishop Carroll High School, this time as just a math teacher. He officially retired from teaching in May 2009 at the age of 72 having spent at least forty years teaching in the classroom and another four in administration.

Highlights from his well-deserved retirement included gardening alongside Jan, attending Mass at St. Matthias, reading his favorite books by W.E.B Griffin, keeping his math skills sharp with sudoku, enjoying lunch meetups with his siblings, watching the grandchildren excel in their activities, and dominating chess, thumb wars, and hand-slap games with his children and grandchildren.

Jack was preceded in death by his parents, Noel and Martha Wolfington Schmidt; his brother, Noel Schmidt; and his brother-in-law, Jack Cleary.

He is survived by his loving wife of 51 years, Janice; sons Michael (Diane) and Mark Schmidt; daughter Susan (Shawn) Morgan; grandchildren Alana, Andrew, Lexi, Taylor, Harrison, Kinley, Wyatt, Natalie, and Emmitt; siblings Barbara Cleary, Ann (John) Garvey, and Harry (Theresa) Schmidt; sister-in-law Joan Schmidt; brothers-in-law Willie (Louise) and Andy (Natalia) Sweatt; and a host of incredible nieces and nephews.

Jack was a proud husband, brother, uncle, father, and granddad. His faith guided his every step and his place in heaven was always waiting for him. We are profoundly grateful to have shared his life, his love, and his laughter for as long as we did.

A Celebration of Life Mass will hopefully be held at St. Dorothy Catholic Church in Drexel Hill, PA at a date to be determined. Updated service details will be provided here or you may email the family for additional information as it becomes available.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Memory of John P. Schmidt to the Archbishop Carroll Food Drive at https://www.archbishopcarroll.org, the Alzheimer's Association at https://donorservices.alz.org or the Lewy Body Dementia Association at https://www.lbda.org.