Mrs. Lynnette Ann (Shanahan) Burchard passed to Heaven on Friday, May 24, with the intentions of seeing God, past family members, and numerous family pets!
A Celebration of Life Service will be held at Noon, Wednesday, May 29 at Fairplain Presbyterian Church 210 W. Napier Ave., Benton Harbor, with Rev. David Schell officiating. Friends may visit with the family beginning at 11:00 A.M. at the Church. Memorial donations in Lynnette’s name may be made to Fairplain Presbyterian Church or Lest We Forget. Those wishing to sign Lynnette’s Memory Book online may do so at www.starks-menchinger.com.
Lynnette was born in Dowagiac, Michigan on May 20, 1943 to Joseph K. and Hazel (Warman) Shanahan. After living in Decatur and St. Louis for a few years the family settled in Marcellus, MI. Lynnette graduated from Marcellus High School in 1961 and married Lewis E. Burchard on August 31, 1963 in Marcellus. They had over 56 years of a loving marriage highlighted by the birth of two wonderful children. After graduating from Marcellus Lynnette attended WMU for a year and then worked full time for a bank in Kalamazoo, supporting Lew, putting him through college. After their military years, Lew entered the field of education while Lynnette remained home with the children for a few years before returning to the banking world. She worked at First National Bank of Kalamazoo, Hillsdale Savings Bank of Hillsdale, and People State Bank of St. Joseph and Fifth Third Bank in Cadillac/Lake City MI. Lynnette retired with 30 years of banking from what she often said was her best-job-ever being Branch Manager of the Fifth-Third Bank in Lake City, MI in 2005. While in Hillsdale & St. Joseph, she also managed to finish her own 4-year college degree graduating from Spring Arbor College. Lynnette was member & past president of the Lake City Rotary Club where she received Rotaries highest honor-the Paul Harris Fellow Award. She was active in the Order of Eastern Star, Marcellus Chapter #167 and helped with many drives for Cystic Fibrosis. In 2004 she retired from banking and her husband retired that same year in order spend quality time together. They travelled some & spent several winters in Arizona and Florida.
Her love of family, a strong religious commitment, & a fierce conviction of “right-and-wrong” kept the family lifestyle on a “straight & narrow” course! She loved travelling; delighted in living in Munich Germany for a year; and her constant overarching support for her husband was her life commitment.
Lynnette is survived by her husband Lew; her children-Stephen (Lynn) Burchard of Albany, NY, Lisa (Jason) Knuth of St. Joseph; three grandchildren-twins Aaron “AJ” & Alyssa Knuth & Samantha Burchard; her brother Michael (Patricia) Shanahan of Portage, MI; nieces & nephews-Sean Shanahan, Kelly Shanahan, Michelle Burchard, Andrea & Mike Rusnack, Gay Burchard, & Peggy & Keith Fox.
Lynnette was preceded in death by her parents, Joseph & Hazel, and by a young brother Lynn Shanahan.
Posted On: Tuesday, May 28, 2019 2:02 PM
