Joanne Steward

steward, Joanne Joanne B. (Norton) Steward Gun Lake, MI 11/23/1928-1/26/18 Joanne passed away- after a brief illness- at Faucett Memorial Hospital, Port Charlotte, FL near her Punta Gorda, FL winter home. She was born to Garrison and Lucy Boyce in Kalamazoo, MI and was one of nine children raised on a farm near Martin, MI. She graduated from Martin High School and attended Kalamazoo College. After marriage and raising her three children on Gun Lake she entered Western Michigan University and earned a degree in elementary education. Joanne then joined the Otsego, MI Public School system as an elementary teacher until her retirement. She was always proud of the Otsego community and the support it gave to their school system. Joanne is survived by her son James Kahllo (Lois), daughter Gail Aten (Greg), step-daughters Leslie Pichette (Ray), Grace Norton, and granddaughters Lacey Kahllo, Brooke Bourdo and Hannah Bourdo. She is also survived by five of her siblings, countless nieces and nephews, and three step-grandsons. In 1994 Joanne married Donald Steward and until his death in 2011 their retirement years were filled with laughter, travel, and family. Don moved from Niagara Falls, Ontario and their summers were spent at Gun Lake and winters in Punta Gorda, FL Joanne was a gracious, kind, fair minded mother, grandmother, sister, teacher, and friend. She loved to read, socialize, and keep up with the world. Her grace, warmth and beauty made her lifetime full of friends. She will be missed more than words can say. Joanne was preceded in death by her son John Kahllo (and his wife Paula), Jerome Norton (husband), Donald Steward (husband), and Christian Kahllo (grandson). She was a longtime member of the Martin United Methodist Church, Martin, MI and since wintering in Florida a member of the 1st United Methodist Church of Punta Gorda. In lieu of flowers, Joanne favored donating to the Martin Methodist Church or Barry County Habitat for Humanity. A memorial service will be held at the Martin United Methodist Church on: Saturday, March 10 at 11 am