Joan Snyder

Joan Snyder of Sanford, MI passed away on June 6th at the Woodland Hospice House in Mt Pleasant, MI after a two-week hospitalization. During her last week she was surrounded by a large and loving collection of family and friends.

Joan was born in 1940 in Saginaw, MI to Albert and Esther (Schumacher) Albrecht. She was raised in Saginaw and Bay City with her sisters Judy Mohnk and Joy Brady. She attended Bay City schools and in 1956 she married Sherman Shorkey.

Among her greatest joys in life are daughters Shirley Gay and Cindy Fillmore and the large, closely-nit family of Grand-kids (6) and Great Grand-kids (6). She and her husband Marc were married in Midland in 1977 and enjoyed 49yrs together as shepherds of this ever-growing flock.

During her last weeks, she was comforted by bed-side visits from nearly all of her extended family and a wonderful collection of life-long friends.

In life, she was enthusiastic about a wide variety of things and experiences – softball, swimming, paddle ball, golf, skiing, boating, travel, stained glass, mah-jongg, and lake-side living. She met Marc while lifeguarding at the Midland Community Center and they shared an interest in teaching handicapped swimming and coaching Special Olympics.

Throughout her married life she operated a home-business crafting custom stained-glass art. She instructed her family to host her visitation and funeral at a local funeral home (Wilson Miller Funeral Home) where she would be among the stained-glass art that she created early in her career.

For over 30 years, she and Marc cherished time at their cabin on the shore of Lake Superior at Whitefish Point. She would often spend an afternoon slowly walking the deserted beach searching for agates - or any other pretty stone. In the earlier winters of her life, she loved to cross-country ski into her cabin and enjoy an “off-grid” weekend huddled around a wood burning stove. In later winters, she found equal enjoyment in Sanford by walking 100 ft to her “she shed” to create stained glass art warmed by a gas burning stove.

She will be greatly missed.

There will be a service where folks are welcome to share memories to honor Joan’s life at 11:00 am on Saturday, June 13, 2026, at Wilson Miller Funeral Home. Joan will then be taken in procession to Jerome Township Cemetery for burial. Visitation will be on Friday from 4:00 pm – 7:00 pm and on Saturday from 10:00 am until the time of service. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions in Joan’s memory may be offered to an organization of one’s choice or the International Myeloma Foundation.