Rev. Dr. Joseph "Joe" Nicholas Schumacher

Joseph Nicholas Schumacher died peacefully at home, as he wished, with family members present on Wednesday, January 22, 2025. Joe, as he liked to be called, was born in Lisle, Illinois, on May 2, 1928, to Mary Catherine Johanek and Hubert Schumacher. 

He worked hard all his life, starting with farm work at a very young age. He attended St. Procopius Academy and College in Lisle, graduating from college in 1950 with a degree in chemistry. He married Mary Virginia Morse on August 12, 1950. He and his wife moved to Columbus, Ohio, where he obtained his PhD in chemistry from Ohio State University in June of 1954. By the time he received his PhD, he and his wife had three children. The family moved to Winston-Salem, North Carolina in 1954, where Joe took a research position with Reynolds Tobacco Company. He worked at Reynolds for 33 years. They had six additional children born in Winston-Salem. 

Joe was a devout Catholic committed to Our Lady of Mercy parish. He was a member of the first class of permanent ordained deacons in the diocese of Charlotte. As a deacon, he gave homilies, prepared people for baptism and marriage, visited hospitals and nursing homes, engaged in prison ministry, served in soup kitchens, took in boarders and helped lead retreats. He was beloved by his parish members. Joe served as an active deacon faithfully until the age of 91, accumulating 36 years of service. 

Joe was a loving and inspirational husband, father, grandfather, great-grandfather and friend. Sadly, Virginia died in 2006. Joe missed her terribly, but he lived the next 18 years to the fullest, traveling with family members, running 5K races, walking the Camino de Santiago, zip lining and parasailing. He was a talented woodworker, and made wooden crosses, tables and cabinets, doll houses and wooden trucks. Many of his pieces of furniture were donated to the church. He did the puzzles in the paper every morning until age 93, when his vision became impaired. He read books and was well known in the library. He played pickleball through age 90. As an avid Atlanta Braves fan, he was thrilled when they won the World Series in 2022. He lived his life, as he said in his autobiography, “to love God with my whole heart, whole soul, my whole mind and to love my neighbor as myself.” 

Joe was preceded in his death by his parents; his 8 siblings; his wife of 57 years, Virginia; a daughter-in-law, Delane; and a grandson, Eric. He is survived by his nine children, Mary Catherine and husband KC Kaltenborn, Robert, Laura and husband Carl Yontz, Teresa and husband Michael Borgerding, Alan and wife Margaret, Paul, Carl and wife Paulette Wilder, Thomas and wife Susan, and Edward and wife Linda. He is also survived by an honorary son, the Rev. William G. Smith; 23 grandchildren; and 16 great-grandchildren. 

A funeral Mass will be conducted at Our Lady of Mercy Catholic Church on Tuesday, January 28, 2025, at 11:00 am. The family will receive friends on Monday, January 27, 2025, from 6:00~8:00 pm at Hayworth-Miller Silas Creek Chapel. 

The family requests that in lieu of flowers, donations be sent to Our Lady of Mercy Catholic School. Please join the family and wear something red to the service as it was Joe’s favorite color.