In Memoriam ~ Rev. Jacob Schumacher ’48

The Rev. Jacob Jerome Schumacher ’48—age 89, Bismarck, passed away September 28, 2015, at CHI St. Alexius Health, Bismarck. Mass of Christian burial will be held at 11:30 a.m. Thursday, Oct. 1, at Church of St. Joseph, Mandan, with the Most Rev. David D. Kagan, Bishop of Bismarck, officiating. The priests of the Diocese of Bismarck will concelebrate. Burial will be at St. Mary’s Cemetery, Bismarck. Visitation will be held at Weigel Funeral Home, Mandan, today from 4 to 8 p.m. with a vigil and rosary at 7 p.m. Visitation will also be held at the church one hour prior to Mass. The Rev. Schumacher was born Aug. 2, 1926, in Dodge, the only child of Jacob and Anna (Klein) Schumacher.

Father Schumacher was raised in Dodge where he attended school. He then attended St. John’s Preparatory, in Collegeville, Minn., before entering St. John’s University and Seminary, Collegeville, Minn., to study for the priesthood. He completed his courses in philosophy and theology and was ordained to the priesthood by Bishop Lambert A. Hoch on June 2, 1952, at the Church of Saint Joseph, Dickinson.

His first assignment was as parochial vicar at the Church of Saint Mary, Bismarck, for two months. He then became parochial vicar at the Church of Saint Joseph, Dickinson, for one year. In August 1953, he was appointed parochial vicar at the Church of Saint Joseph, Mandan, where he served until October 1957, at which time he was appointed pastor of Saints Peter and Paul in Fallon for two months. The Rev. Schumacher was then appointed as pastor of St. Michael, rural Linton, for two years. In August 1959, he was appointed pastor of St. Mary, Marmarth, and St. Mel, Rhame, where he served for one year. The next three months he served as pastor at St. Michael, rural Linton, at which time he was appointed parochial vicar at the Church of Saint Mary, Bismarck, where he served until June 1963. The Rev. Schumacher was then appointed as pastor of St. Thomas, Gladstone until June 1970. He also was a teacher at Trinity High School, Dickinson, from 1963-68. He then became pastor of the Church of Saint Lawrence, Flasher, and served there until he was appointed pastor of the Church of Saint Mary, South Heart, until his retirement in August 1997. He retired to the Emmaus Place in Bismarck living there for 18 years, before recently moving to St. Vincent’s Care Center.

Father Schumacher is survived by his numerous cousins and his brother priests.  He was preceded in death by his parents, Jacob and Anna Schumacher.

The Saint John’s Prep community remembers Rev. Jacob’s family in our thoughts and prayers.