JoAnn VanSlyk Burritt Obituary

JoAnn VanSlyk Burritt, 78, of Stevensville, MI, passed away peacefully on October 17, 2026, surrounded by her loving family.

A Celebration of Life will be held on Thursday, November 12 at 11:00 am at First Church of God, 2627 Niles Ave, St Joseph, MI 49085. Thursday evening, following the service, please rejoin the family from 4:00 – 6:00 pm at the Solarium by Watermark, 2688 Kimmel St, Stevensville, MI 49127, for a time of gathering and cocktails. Memorial contributions in JoAnn’s memory directed to Lakeshore Athletics C/O Girls Soccer in support of the high school girls soccer program would be appreciated.

JoAnn was born on May 3, 1948, in Oneida, New York, to the late Charles and Ruth VanSlyk. She worked as a legal secretary for Kodak in Rochester, New York where she met the love of her life and her future husband, Harry Burritt.

Above all, JoAnn was a devoted mother who instilled strong values in her daughters. She possessed a rare, maternal magic that made her daughters feel like they could achieve absolutely anything. Strong, independent and exceptionally handy, JoAnn could fix just about anything and often jokingly referred to herself as “Mrs. Fix-It.”

She poured her heart into volunteering for local causes, most notably spearheading the fundraising efforts to launch the Lakeshore High School girls’ soccer program. Through sheer determination and passion, she successfully raised over $40,000 creating a lasting legacy for young female athletes in her community.

JoAnn truly made everything around her beautiful. She possessed a passion for art and design, which blossomed in her flourishing gardens, impeccably styled home, elegant sense of style, and the wonderful meals she loved to cook for those she adored. Her strong Christian faith anchored her life, and she spent many Sundays attending services at First Church of God in St. Joseph.

JoAnn will be remembered above all for her fierce, nurturing, and caring spirit, which lives on through the lifelong friendships she treasured and the family she loved so deeply.

JoAnn is survived by her husband, Harry; her beloved daughters, Emily (Anthony) Canata, Meaghan (Dave) Pabellon and Linsey (Sam) Rosen; her cherished grandchildren, Eva, Lily, Clay, Charlie, Luca; and her dear brother Mark (Corri) VanSlyk.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Charles and Ruth VanSlyk, and her beloved sister Mary.