Schoeppe, Francis W.
Jesuit Father Francis W. Schoeppe died Jan. 20, 2014, at Good Samaritan Hospital in San Jose, Calif.
Fr. Schoeppe was born in Baltimore, Md., on Nov. 19, 1922. His family moved to San Marino, Calif., when he was young. After graduation from Cathedral High School in Los Angeles and a year at Pasadena Junior College, he entered the Navy and served as a Seabee, including an 18-month stint at Guadalcanal.
After his discharge from the service in 1946, he entered the Jesuit novitiate in Los Gatos, Calif., to study for the priesthood. After his ordination and the completion of his studies, he taught at Ryan Preparatory Seminary in Fresno, Calif., from 1960-68. In 1969, he was named Rector-President of Jesuit High School in Sacramento, Calif.
In 1974, his work took a different turn, and he was assigned to parish ministry, first at St. Francis Xavier in Phoenix, at Blessed Sacrament in Hollywood, Calif., and St. Ignatius Loyola in Sacramento. In 1986 he was named pastor of St. Henry’s Church, Brigham City, Utah, where he remained until 2008 when he retired to Sacred Heart Jesuit Center in Los Gatos, doing ministry as occasion demanded.
Fr. Schoeppe is survived by nieces Bridget Gjevre of Denver and Barbara Proaño, of Pasadena, Calif.