Jesuit Father Francis Warren Schoeppe, 91, died Jan. 20, 2014 at Good Samaritan Hospital, San Jose.
Francis Warren Schoeppe was born in Baltimore, Md. Nov. 19, 1922. His family moved to San Marino, Calif., when he was young. After graduation from Cathedral High School, Los Angeles, and a year at Pasadena Junior College, he entered the U.S. 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 at Los Gatos 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 to 1968. 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, Phoenix, Blessed Sacrament, Hollywood, and St. Ignatius Loyola, Sacramento. In 1986 he was named pastor of St. Henry Catholic Church in Brigham City, Utah, where he remained until 2008, when he retired to Sacred Heart Jesuit Center, Los Gatos, doing ministry as occasion demanded.
Fr. Schoeppe is survived by nieces Bridget Gjevre of Denver, Colo. and Barbara Proaño, of Pasadena, Calif.
A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated Jan. 29 at 10 a.m., at Sacred Heart Jesuit Center Chapel, 300 College Avenue, Los Gatos, Calif., with committal immediately following at Santa Clara Mission Cemetery.
Donations in memory of Father Schoeppe may be made to the California Province of the Society of Jesus, P.O. Box 68, Los Gatos, CA 95031 or to a charity of your choice.
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