Retired Art Professor passes away

March 24, 2004
By Keith Claussen
Online Editor

The Ambrose community mourned the loss of a long-standing art professor, who passed away just before spring break.

Retired professor emeritus John Schmits passed away March 1 in Muscatine, Iowa from complications stemming from his fight with cancer. Schmits spent his entire 45 years of teaching here at St. Ambrose in the art department. His passing did not go unnoticed as students, faculty, and staff paid their respects to the family.

“You couldn’t ask for anyone more kind to work for,” said professor and art department chair Kristin Quinn.

Quinn started teaching in 1989, and viewed Schmits not only as a colleague and boss, but also as a mentor and good friend.

“He was like the dad of the department,” Quinn said.

A St. Ambrose graduate current adjunct to the department also experienced Schmits’ kindness and friendship.

“He was not only a teacher and an artist, but a mentor and a wonderful friend to me,” said Amy Nielsen.

“You could never learn enough from him,” Nielsen said, reflecting back on her time as a student and teacher’s assistant to Schmits.

Nielsen currently teaches the calligraphy class, one of the courses Schmits taught in the Galvin Fine Arts Center, room 012.

Nielsen also said that it was an honor and a “privilege for me to teach the class.”

Theatre professor Michael Kennedy took a watercolor painting class with Fr. Catich in 1959. Although he does not remember exactly how he met Schmits, Kennedy remembers the nickname “numb hands,” given to him by the late Fr. Catich. From time to time, Schmits would remind Kennedy of this.

“He was just such a friendly guy,” Kennedy said. “Because we went to college at the same time, you know a little about a lot of things, and it gives you a unique perspective of the world,” said Kennedy, remembering the discussions he had over the years about various topics.

When Schmits taught classes and they needed supplies, bargain shopping was one of his well-known traits among the other art professors. Neither the students, nor the art department was ever charged for the materials.

“I never received a receipt from John, as chair, for reimbursement,” Quinn stated.

The water paintings and drawings Schmits created were either given to people, or sold for a low price. He believed that everyone should have the opportunity to own original artwork, created by an artist.

Kennedy observed Schmits, with his artwork and other people. “He was an intense person about his work, but was laid back about life. He seemed to be at ease with people.”

When Fr. Catich, passed away in 1979, he left half of the artwork in his studio to Schmits. That collection was, in turn, donated to St. Ambrose with one stipulation: an art gallery be created in Fr. Catich’s name.

Schmits is survived by his wife, Linda, and his five children: Tom, Jane and Tony Lunardi, Lisa and Mike O’Brien, Jill (currently attends St. Ambrose), and Jerad. He is also survived by the Zhang family, the Schmits’ adoptive family from China.

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