Josephine "Jo" Carol Schils

Josephine “Jo” Carol Schils of Battle Creek, Michigan died May 20, 2025. She was born September 16, 1929 in Marquette, Michigan, the daughter of Victor and LaFerne Hurst. She is survived by her sons, Gary (Sylvia), Brian (Sheila), Don (Julie), Dean and three grandchildren, Dane, Tauri and Pari. She was preceded in death by her husband, John Schils and brother, Don Hurst.

Jo went from kindergarten through high school at John D. Pierce, the training school connected to Northern Michigan College, now Northern Michigan University. She was class president her freshman year. She sang in all the choruses offered at school and sang in church choirs all her life. She and two friends, Jonelle Anderson and Lou Frisk, formed a singing trio that performed for dances, high school graduation, sorority and fraternity parties and for various other groups around town for several years. She graduated with honors, fifth in her class, in 1947.

After graduation from high school, she attended Northern for four years. As a freshman, she became a member of the Beta Omega Tau Sorority, and as a sophomore, was chosen as president of the Student Girls’ League, a rare honor for a sophomore. As a junior, she was co-sports editor of the Northern Year Book, captain of the Intramural Volleyball Team, chairman of the Physical Education Club, chairman of the PE Club homecoming float committee, co-publicity chairman of the Betas, and chosen as one of five students on the Union Building Social Committee.

During the summer of 1950, she was a counselor in the high school girls’ division at the Interlochen Musical Academy near Traverse City.

As a senior at Northern, she was a member of the Student Council. She graduated in June 1951. After graduation, she taught physical education in Hancock, Michigan for two and a half years. Her fiancé, Jack Schils, was a year behind her because he had been in the service after high school. The year away from him was very hard, but she loved the teachers and students she worked with in Hancock. The year passed quickly, and on June 14, 1952 she married Jack on his graduation day from Northern. He was hired to teach and coach in Hancock as well and was there for two years. Their first son, Gary, was born there on May 14, 1954.

That fall, Jack accepted a teaching and coaching position in Hudson. Jo became a stay-at-home mom and a second son, Brian, was born on June 28, 1955.

In 1958, Jack accepted a teaching and coaching position in Battle Creek. They bought their first house on 13 Bonita. Two more sons were born there: Don Gordon on January 12, 1961 and Dean Alan on February 20, 1962. Now they had four sons. (She told God she wanted more boys than girls but didn’t mean to be taken so literally.) She always felt so lucky to be able to be a stay-at-home mom until all their sons were in school.

Once all the boys were in school, she knew she’d have to go back to work to help put all four sons through college. One day, someone suggested that she liked to read so much, why didn’t she become a librarian. What a great idea! Over the next few years, she attended Western Michigan University and earned a master’s degree in library science. She graduated with honors and was inducted into the honor society, Beta Phi Mu.

Before she even got her degree, Willard Library in Battle Creek approached her about a job. The person in charge of the Elementary School Libraries Department had been dismissed, and a replacement was needed. The job involved buying books for sixteen elementary schools, managing thousands of books being sent to individual classrooms and working with students and teachers to promote them.

At first, she told them the job couldn’t be done, but it wasn’t long before she realized it was the perfect job for her. In 1968, she signed a contract to be in charge of the Elementary School Libraries Department with the Battle Creek School System, a position she loved for eighteen years until her retirement in 1986. She loved promoting the books with children. She always said a job is not work unless you would rather be doing something else. Eventually, she was given the job of Director of All Instructional Media, not just books.

Per Jo’s wishes, cremation has taken place. A memorial service to celebrate her life will be held at Farley Estes Dowdle Funeral Cremation Preneed Care on Saturday, June 14 at 2:00 p.m. Family will receive friends an hour prior. Personal messages for Jo’s family may be shared at www.farleyestesdowdle.com.

Donations in Jo's memory may be directed to the John "Jack" and Jo Schils Scholarship Fund.