Jean Schally

Jean L. Schally

April 17, 1935 – February 27, 2026

Jean L. Schally, 90, passed away peacefully on February 27, 2026 in Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin.  She was born in Crandon, Wisconsin on April 17, 1935 to the late Harvey and Anna (nee Weber) Walker. Her parents had a profound influence on her life, passing on values that she in turn has passed on (with, of course, some rebranding) to her children. To pay proper tribute, it is important to say a few words about them.

Harvey was a kind and generous man of Scottish descent. By many accounts, he was a rabble-rousing presence in rural Wisconsin bars as a young man and could even in later years lay down the law on an as-needed basis. Anna was a spitfire of Polish and German descent. You didn’t dare cross her, unless you were one of her many grandchildren and great-grandchildren, in which case, no problem.

Harvey and Anna began raising their large family of eight children during the Great Depression, and Jean was the oldest. The year she was born, the national unemployment rate was 20%, the country was in the midst of the Dust Bowl, and fascism, which later took a devastating World War to stop (or at least delay), was continuing its march across Europe. Due to the difficult economic times, Anna in particular held her money tight, stashing whatever she could spare under the mattress or floorboards. Young Jean was watching, largely adopting Anna’s traits, in a near spitting-image although somewhat muted manner.

As a youngster, several events occurred that had a lasting influence on Jean’s life.

First, she contracted measles. She was, unfortunately, one of the too-high percentage where this horrific disease progressed to encephalitis and then pneumonia. These were the days before vaccines, anti-virals and antibiotics. She spent weeks in the hospital and nearly died, recovering very slowly over the ensuing months. Second, at age 12, she by choice converted to Roman Catholicism. And third, after graduation from high school, and motivated in part by her measles experience, and witnessing the toll of other devastating diseases like polio and tuberculosis, she felt a calling to care for the sick, and decided to attend nursing school. The destination was the then well-known Ancker nursing school in St. Paul, Minnesota.

In St. Paul, she met George Schally, a handsome and strapping gentleman, freshly minted by the U.S. Marines. A marriage and family ensued. The first two children, Timothy and Colleen, were born in St. Paul. The final two, Patrick and Michael Sean, the baby of the family, were born after the family moved to Milwaukee.

As is the case with so many mothers, she was a Saint. This was not just because she endured the extensive shenanigans of her children – although that cannot be discounted, particularly with respect to the two younger boys. Rather, it was because she directed all of her attention to her children and later, grandchildren. It was a fierce and relentless devotion, and nothing mattered more to her.  It is the timeless story of a Mother’s Love. As just one example: because the family was of modest economic means, she worked full-time as a nurse to help make ends meet. And it wasn’t just that she worked; it was when. She worked third shift, allowing her to put the children to be bed, then go to work, and be home when they got home from school.

Even her exceptionally rare deceptions were loving and well-intentioned. She gave all her children Irish names (Timothy, Colleen, Patrick and Michael Sean). She scattered Irish history and literature books around the house.  And she would constantly play Irish folk music.  In particular, she spun the LP albums of The Clancy Brothers and Tommy Makem.  And we’re not just talking the more well-known songs like Tim Finnegan’s Wake, a Jug of Punch, and Brennan on the Moor. We’re talking deep cuts like The Castle of Dromore, Eileen Aroon and The Foggy Dew. It was an overall effort so compelling that her children were convinced they were Irish thoroughbreds, and that the Irish had Saved Civilization, long before publication of the best-selling book of that title, which nicely buttoned down her theory.  But as the children grew older and did a little genealogical research, they concluded that there appeared to be little, if any, Irish blood in their ancestry. It was a loving case of cultural appropriation!

She was sustained by her faith. In her bible, there are in particular two bookmarked and heavily annotated passages. One is Matthew 5: 1-11 (the Beatitudes). Being keenly aware that “the devil may cite scripture for his purpose,” she also heavily marked Matthew 6: 1-15 (“When you give alms, sound no trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may be praised by men …. And when you pray, you must not be like the hypocrites, for they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and at the street corners, that they may be seen by men.”).

There were so many good times, but as is so often the case in life, in nearly all families, there was also tragedy. The were many instances, but the most devastating occurred on August 19, 1991, when her beloved son Patrick, only 21 years old, died. His passing took the light from her life, not to return until one night, many months later, when she said that he came to her in a dream and said “Mom, I am doing well, do not worry any more, we will someday see each other again.”

It is sometimes said that “soon you will have forgotten everything … and all things will have forgotten you.” In a sense, that surely is true. The pictures in family photo albums fade and at some point become only grainy reminders of the misty past. The people in those photos are unknown to later generations, at best names in a family genealogical tree. So what endures? The principles of Harvey and Anna Walker became the rebranded principles of Jean Schally, who passed them on to her children and grandchildren.

From your children and grandchildren: thank you for everything you did for us, for all the sacrifices, for all the days and nights you cared for and worried about us, for dedicating your life to us, for always putting us first and yourself last, and being our fiercest protector.   You embodied the truth that there is nothing more powerful in the Universe than a Mother’s Love.

Perhaps right now you are sitting around Heaven’s campfire, doused in the smell of burning peat, telling stories, singing Irish folk songs, and catching up with dad and Patrick. Please save space for us. And, if you could, put in a good word.

Jean is survived by three children, Timothy Schally (Carol Muratore) of Milwaukee, Colleen Schally of Slinger, and Michael Sean Schally of Butler; three grandchildren, Nicholas Schally of Milwaukee, Hannah Volheim of Slinger, and Lilian Schally of Butler.  She also is survived by five siblings, Harvey (Sally) Walker, Patrick (Bobbie) Walker, Peggy Arrowood, Cathy (Steve) Conway, and Karen (Robert) Latal. She is further survived by many other relatives, and friends. In addition to her parents, and husband of 42 years, she was preceded in death by two brothers, Christopher Walker and Dell Walker, and her son, Patrick.

May the road rise up to meet you.

May the wind be always at your back.

May the sun shine warm upon your face,

The rains fall soft upon your fields,

And until we meet again,

May God hold you in the palm of His hand.

The family thanks the staff at Dickson Hollow in Menomonee Falls for the great care they provided.

Gathering will be held on Thursday, March 12, 2026 at Krause Funeral Home, 9000 West Capitol Drive, Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Visitation from 9:00 AM – 10:45 AM with Service to begin at 11:00 AM.

Jean requested that any memorial contributions be made to St. Agnes Parish in Butler, Wisconsin.