Let us pray in thanksgiving for the life of Br. James E. Small, SJ, who died on March 19, 2026 at Colombiere Center in Clarkston, Michigan. He was 104 years old. May he rest in peace.
Jim is preceded in death by his parents, Owen and Margaret (nee Naughton), and his siblings: Thomas Small, John Small, Sr. Paulina Small, RSM, Helen Priestley, and Margaret McMahon. He is also preceded in death by his cousin, Chicago Province Jesuit Fr. Joseph F. Small, SJ.
Jim was born on January 10, 1922 in Chicago, Illinois. Although he was a postulant for a few months in the Milford novitiate when he was 18 years old, Jim served in the navy during World War II, was a machinist, and was a Chicago police officer before entering the Chicago Province of the Society of Jesus on November 27, 1952 at the Novitiate of the Sacred Heart in Milford, Ohio. He pronounced final vows on February 2, 1963 at West Baden College in West Baden, Indiana.
Jim served as the infirmarian at the Milford novitiate (1955-1958) and West Baden College (1958-1963). He returned to the novitiate a carpenter (1963-1969) before being missioned to Loyola Academy in Wilmette, Illinois, where he spent over four decades ministering as a carpenter and an “artist-in-residence”. In 2013 he was missioned to Colombiere Center to pray for the Church and the Society and, of course, to be an “artist-in-residence”.
Jim was a devoted Jesuit who had a special place in his heart for Mary, the mother of Jesus. He was prayerful, humble, and easy to be with. He was a practical man who “got things done”. Jim loved engaging people and his smile attracted others to him. Those who encountered him found a kind, gentle person with a wonderful sense of humor. People knew that Jim loved and cared for them and they loved him in return. This appreciation is evidenced by G. R. Kearney’s biography of Jim entitled “The Small Things: A Day in the Life of Brother James E. Small, S.J.”
Throughout his life, Jim would copy famous paintings and sell them to support Loyola Academy. Later in life, Jim began painting original artwork which currently hangs on the walls of Colombiere Center. To see some of Jim’s artwork, click here to watch a three-minute interview of Jim that appeared on the Today show on January 15, 1998.
During the 1997 Loyola Academy President’s Dinner honoring Jim, Fr. John Reinke, SJ, spoke about Jim’s time as an infirmarian:
His ease of manner, his warmth, his wonderful sense of humor, his healing touch, his deep sympathy and empathy, the real and personal interest he took in every patient under his care, his Christ-like gentleness, devotion and dedication…all of these are legendary even to this day.
As the Loyola Academy website notes:
A gifted painter and teacher, Br. Small used his artistic talents to transform lives. His paintings—beloved fixtures of the Ramble and other fundraising events—raised over one million dollars for tuition assistance, helping to open Loyola’s doors to countless students. His art has found homes across the country and around the world, each piece carrying his signature blend of skill, humility, and generosity.
Br. Small also shared his gifts through Saturday art classes, welcoming students of all ages and backgrounds to discover beauty, patience, and prayer in the creative process. He inspired others not only to see, but to see God in all things.
On his 100th birthday, the USA Midwest Province commented:
Brother Small’s true legacy is the number of people who are living lives that are better just for having known him.
