Dear Family,

It is with a mixture of deep gratitude and heavy hearts that we share that our friend, Michael Leo Schaff, passed away on Wednesday morning. Michael passed with his hands held on each side by people he loved who loved him. We had the privilege of getting to celebrate him last night, all packed into his room, shoulder to shoulder, some of us sitting on the ground, getting to honor his wish of getting to hear “anything good” about him at the end of his life.

Michael was the founding core member of L’Arche Greater Washington, DC, moving into the community in October of 1983. Through his commitment to community and relationship, he formed the vibrant community L’Arche grew to be. Michael was a loyal friend to many, as evidenced by the outpouring of love through phone and video calls, letters, emails, and visitors from near and far in these last weeks.

Michael helped to welcome each and every person who came through the doors of Ontario House, teaching countless assistants lessons in how to be strong and loving and present, which Michael would say he learned from his mother, Margaret. Michael had the gift of bravery, coming back to relationships time and time again, even when it was hard. Michael was an integral member of the greater Adams Morgan community. Anyone who had the pleasure of accompanying Mike on his daily trip to McDonald’s got to witness how known he was in the neighborhood, and his incredible memory of each person’s family tree, how many grandkids, who was divorced, and who was engaged. As known as he was in the neighborhood, Michael was also a world traveler, and traveled to countless weddings, historical sites, and visits to friends and communities over the years.

Michael also had the uncanny ability to predict anything to do with relationships including who was pregnant and how many children they would have and their genders.

Michael was a passionate learner of history, especially US presidents and First Ladies, and would not hesitate to correct docents on museum visits with additional little-known facts. To go along with that passion, Michael’s bookshelf never seemed to have enough room for his ever-growing collection of books.

Michael was also a faithful member of the 8th Day Faith Community and Jubilee Church (two Church of the Savior faith communities). Within those communities, he helped each person feel known and welcomed. He was quick to ask how your family was doing, and to follow up on anyone you had mentioned was sick or going through something. Michael lived out his faith through his constancy in presence and hospitality. Once, when Michael was teaching a class on community through Church of the Savior, Michael said he found belonging “everywhere I sit”. And he cultivated that every day by extending that belonging to the people around him.

Thank you for your continued prayer and love for Ontario House, especially Johnny, Debora, and Eileen, and the greater L’Arche community during this time.

To help us to celebrate Michael, please send any “Michael-isms” that you might remember to ontarioHLL@larche-gwdc.org

Details of Michael’s memorial service and burial to follow.

With love,
L’Arche