Jirina T. (Schweizerova) Schumann, 91, died Sunday, November 8, 2015, at Emerson Hospital in Concord. For 61 years she was the beloved wife of the late Reinhold S. Schumann (May 24, 1919-April 13, 2010). Born on October 15, 1924, in Pilsen, Czech Republic, she was the daughter of the late Jan Schweizer and Aloisie (Hyrmanova) Schweizerova. Educated in the Czech Republic, her plans to attend university were interrupted by the events of World War II. Instead, a chance meeting with her late husband, who was a U.S. Army officer stationed in Czechoslovakia, led to a three-year courtship and their marriage on October 16, 1948, in Cambridge, MA. Tenacious and self-determined from start to finish, to become one of the first U.S. war brides Jirina first had to gather a year-long series of difficult-to-obtain visa documents (from what was then communist Czechoslovakia), and also had to relinquish her Czech citizenship and thus her ability (at that time) to see her loved ones (all of whom would remain living in Czechoslovakia), or her beloved homeland ever again. Following their wedding, the couple honeymooned at the Colonial Inn in Concord and then settled happily into a tiny apartment in Waltham. That year, Dr. Schumann also completed his Harvard PhD thesis and began his teaching career among Brandeis University's inaugural professorial staff -- a time both referred to frequently as the happiest of beginnings. In 1950, obligations to re-establish a family-owned business required their return to Dusseldorf, Germany. Over the next dozen years, Reinhold and Jirina built a life and a family welcoming their three children, Roger (1950), Jeanette (1954-1984), and Edith (1960). In the summer of 1963, the family moved back to the U.S., settling in Concord, where Reinhold became a history professor at Boston University until retiring in 1989. Throughout their marriage, Jirina assisted her husband's business and professorial career and was a busy homemaker and mother. She was well travelled and a student of history in her own right, taking several Harvard Extension courses; spoke three languages; was a collector of American- and European-antiques; adored classical music and operas -- especially any performed by Luciano Pavarotti; was a master gardener who could identify most plants by their Latin names; and a talented artist in several media including oil painting, fine needlepoint, sewing, and fine furniture refinishing. In her earlier years, she was a member of the B.U. Women's Club, the Masaryk (Czech) Club of Boston, and a parishioner at Our Lady Help of Christian Parish. Survivors include a son, Roger Schumann of Germany; a daughter, Edie Ravenelle and her husband Andre Ravenelle of Sudbury; grandchildren Kirsten Wahl of Germany, Andrea Ravenelle Wilver and her husband Patrick Wilver of Brookline, and Adam Ravenelle of Nashville, TN. Visitation will be held on Friday, November 13, 6 to 8 p.m., in the Dee Funeral Home, 27 Bedford Street, Concord Center. A Funeral Mass will be held in Holy Family Parish, Monument Square, Concord, Saturday, November 14, at 10 a.m. Burial will be in St. Bernard's Cemetery, Concord. In lieu of flowers (if you prefer): Donate to the Fitchburg Extra Curricular Fund by going to: www.cfncm.org, click on the Donate tab, under "Please direct my Gift to" click on the "Specific Fund" button, use the Select a Fund drop down menu and select "Fitchburg Extra Curricular Fund." You may click the "This gift is in memory of" button and enter Jirina Schumann. Scroll down and enter Personal Information, Payment Information and the Donate button. Or, go directly to:https://cfncm.org/GiveiCurrentFutureDonorsi/DonateOnline.aspx?tp=1000&fn=Fitchburg+Extra+Curricular+Fund Arrangements are under the care of the Dee Funeral Home of Concord. To share a remembrance in Mrs. Schumann's guest book, please visit www.deefuneralhome.com.