Lory Schaff

Lory Schaff (1932 – 2012) was a nun in New Orleans, Louisiana, United States, who co-founded Hope House to serve underprivileged people in housing projects in New Orleans. She is also notable for her efforts on adult literacy education, particularly the St. Vincent de Paul Adult Learning Center in New Orleans. Schaff also established the St. Paul Adult Learning Center in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.

Early life and education Schaff was born in New Orleans on September 26, 1932, to parents Ferdinand Jacob Schaff and Sarah Lory Schaff, who were both from New Orleans. She attended Holy Name School in New Orleans before entering Webster College in Webster Groves, Missouri. Schaff subsequently earned a master's degree in biology at the University of Notre Dame and then a master's degree in religious education at the Notre Dame Seminary Graduate School of Theology in New Orleans.

Career Religious life In 1953, Schaff entered the Sisters of Mercy order of nuns. During that time, she was known as Sister Joannes.

In 1984, Schaff transferred to the Sisters of St. Joseph and resumed use of her birth name, as Sister Lory Schaff. She remained a member of this order for the rest of her life.

For the duration of her religious life, Schaff was known to friends, colleagues and students as Sister Lory.

Educator Following completion of her own education, Schaff started her career as an educator. She taught at various high schools including Mercy Academy (New Orleans), St. Patrick School (Walnut, Kansas), Mercy College (defunct secondary school in St. Louis, Missouri), and Trinity High School (Hutchinson, Kansas). Schaff subsequently served as director of religious education at St. Alphonsus Parish in New Orleans.

Schaff's focus shifted to the education of disadvantaged people, including education through adult literacy programs, an emphasis that she maintained for the duration of her career. Rayfield recruited Schaff to lead the effort, resulting in the creation of the SVDP-ALC.

In an interview about her book, Schaff stated:

“My experience has been that people turn a corner once they begin to succeed. If they haven’t been able to do something for 10 years and then, in a single month, they can do it, they begin to smile broadly and say, ‘I got that! I can do that!’”

Death Having worked in adult literacy education until nearly the end of her life, Schaff died on January 21, 2012, of non-Hodgkin lymphoma. She was buried at Roselawn Cemetery in Baton Rouge.

Shortly after her death, the SVDP-ALC was renamed the St. Vincent de Paul Sister Lory Schaff Adult Learning Center.