J. Mark Schumacher

Joseph Mark Schumacher, 92, died on September 22, 2025, at St Vincent’s Hospital in Green Bay, Wisconsin.

Mark was born January 17, 1933, in Green Bay to Urban and Clara (Schauer) Schumacher, the youngest of eight children. He attended St. Matthew Grade School and went on to high school at Central Catholic High School, where he earned both athletic and academic accolades. He excelled on the football field, earning individual scoring honors multiple years, and going on to be named to the Wisconsin State All-Star team in his senior year. Meanwhile, his efforts in the classroom resulted in academic success and the title of valedictorian of the class of 1950. After high school, he attended Saint Meinrad’s Seminary in Indiana. He was selected to complete his seminary studies at the Pontifical Gregorian University and North American College in Rome, Italy, where he was ordained as a Catholic priest in 1958. He then served as a diocesan priest in Wisconsin for 13 years, including time spent as the spiritual director at Xavier High School and chaplain of the Newman Center at Lawrence University. He was attending a theology seminar at Saint Norbert College in the summer of 1969 when he met his wife, Katherine Elizabeth Sant Amour. This would be the start of a 56-year love story. Mark followed Kay to the San Francisco Bay Area in 1971, where they were married on December 16, 1971. Over their 53 years of marriage, Mark came to rely on Kay as his rock, and she became his devoted caretaker and “coach” in recent years as he suffered from Alzheimer’s.

One of Mark‘s great joys in life was spending time at the Schumacher family cottage on Windfall Lake, where he especially loved being with family (grand kids!), birdwatching, swimming, running, and stargazing. He had a great love of nature and animals, with a particular soft spot for dogs. (He was thrilled to find out that the Hebrew word for dog translated to "full of heart.”) He was an avid runner who completed half a dozen marathons and was a lifelong Green Bay Packers fan, with fond memories of attending the Ice Bowl in 1967.

Mark was known for his sense of humor, his sweet and inquisitive nature, and his giving heart. Mark and Kay were founding members of Hands & Hearts with Haiti and traveled with the group to Haiti on multiple occasions. They also volunteered regularly at St John's Shelter and Paul's Pantry. They have been active members of the St. Matthew Catholic Community in Allouez for many years, where Mark volunteered in the RCIA program, sharing his wisdom and mentoring candidates and catechumens in their faith journey. He was a man who lived his principles and loved nothing more than to spread laughter wherever he went.

Mark is survived by his loving wife, Kay; two daughters, Rachel (Scott) Kapuschansky and Amy (Jeff) Kawa; four grandchildren: Katherine "KC", Alivia, and Madeleine Kapuschansky, and Teddy Kawa; sister-in-law, Judy Schumacher; brother-in-law, Don Zakowski; Goddaughter, Tricia MacDonald; many chosen family that Mark and Kay came to love over the years that they spent together in San Jose and San Francisco; and a whole host of loving nieces, nephews, cousins, and friends.

Mark is preceded in death by his parents, Urban and Clara, and his siblings: Peter Schumacher, Mary Verbeten, Rev. Paul Schumacher, Sr. Urban (Ann) Schumacher, Dr. John (“Hans”) Schumacher, Clare Zakowski, and Urban Schumacher.

Visitations will be held on Friday, October 10, 2025, from 4:00 pm to 6:00 pm at Newcomer Funeral Home (340 S. Monroe Ave, Green Bay) and on Saturday, October 11, 2025, from 9:30 am to 11:00 am at St. Matthew Catholic Church (130 St Matthews St, Green Bay). The Memorial Service will take place on Saturday, October 11, 2025, at 11:00 am at St. Matthew.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests friends and family consider making memorial contributions to Hands & Hearts with Haiti, St. John’s Shelter, or Paul’s Pantry.