Sharon Lynn (née Johnson) Burstein, daughter of the late Virginia and Einer Johnson, died on May 19, 2026. She was born and raised in Muskegon, Michigan. Her father died at an early age, and she looked up to her brother, the late Kent Johnson, and followed his example to enter the University of Michigan. Within a month of entering her freshman year, she met Paul Burstein, and they were together for 61 years and married for 57 years and two days at the time of her passing. After her graduation from the University of Michigan School of Nursing, she worked as a public health nurse until Paul’s graduation from the University of Michigan Medical School, Class of 1972. They moved to Madison, Wisconsin, where Paul served his residency in obstetrics and gynecology and where their children, Sarah (Terry Brown) and Aaron (Corinne Keet, MD, PhD), were born. After two years at Fort Bragg, NC, they moved to the Milwaukee area. After retiring from his clinical practice, Paul and Sharon acquired a vacation home in Glen Arbor, Michigan, a place loved by the whole family.

In addition to her husband, Paul Burstein, MD, and their two children, she is survived by four grandchildren, Patrick and Katie Shirley and Jacob and Theo Burstein; nephews Craig and Darin Johnson; nieces Julie Johnson and Kari Skubik; and sisterin- law Liz Johnson. Sharon is also survived by her two brothers-in-law, John Burstein (Mariclaire Acosta) and Steve Burstein (Mary Burns), and nephew Sam Burstein. She loved her family and her many friends in the Milwaukee area and Glen Arbor as well as the many friends made during travels with the Continental Gynecological Society from all over the US and Canada. The family would like to acknowledge the exceptional care by Hospice of Michigan, Drs. Daniel Hadley, Nick Zendler, and Peter Kohler in Michigan. In addition, the family is forever grateful for the care of Drs. Ranveer Nand and Craig Schultz and Cancer Navigator Samantha Egerer at Van Dyke Cancer Center at Columbia St. Mary’s in Mequon, Wisconsin.

Celebrations of Sharon’s life will be held in Glen Arbor and in Mequon at a future date.

Please share condolences with Sharon’s family at www.martinson.info Arrangements are with the Martinson Funeral Home and Cremation Services of Leelanau.