Date of death: 1/18/2021
Saint Meinrad Class: O 1958
Joseph M. Scheidler, 93, passed away peacefully at home surrounded by his family on January 18.
Born to Matthias and Kathleen Scheidler in Hartford City, Indiana in 1927, Scheidler served in the Navy at the end of WWII, attended the University of Notre Dame, and studied for the priesthood at Saint Meinrad Seminary in Indiana before moving to Chicago to teach at Mundelein college, where he met his wife Ann.
Known to many as the Godfather of the Pro-Life Movement, following the 1973 Roe v. Wade decision, Scheidler dedicated his life to protecting the unborn, founding the Pro-Life Action League in 1980. His activism led to a racketeering lawsuit filed by the National Organization for Women that ultimately resulted in a full vindication at the Supreme Court.