LuAnne Bullington

LuAnne was born into a large family in Alpena, Michigan, one of eight children of Dolores Christine and Robert Paul Kannowski. From early childhood, she lived with retinitis pigmentosa, a condition that profoundly shaped her life but never defined her limits. She experienced the world directly, on her own terms, developing a formidable strength, self-reliance, and determination that carried her through every stage of her life.

She was fiery, outspoken, and unwilling to soften herself to meet expectations. She valued her autonomy, but at the same time, many in her family continued to stand by her, offering care and support in recognition of shared history, responsibility, and enduring human connection.

Education, technology, and advocacy for people with disabilities were central threads in LuAnne’s life. She earned a bachelor’s degree in education from Eastern Michigan University and held a teaching certification. She began her professional life as an elementary public school teacher in Royal Oak, specializing in special education and learning disabilities, teaching from 1970 to 1978. She later returned to school to earn a second bachelor’s degree in computer science and transitioned into a long career in computer information technology, working as a computer information systems manager, senior programmer, and project manager. She also served as a web team leader and member of the CIS Department at the University of Michigan’s School of Business Administration, before retiring from professional work.

After moving to Ann Arbor in the early 1990s, LuAnne lived on South Blvd in the Pattengill neighborhood, where she remained a deeply engaged member of the Ann Arbor community. Her advocacy extended across disability rights, transportation access, housing, and mentoring. She served on the Ann Arbor Transportation Authority’s (AATA) Local Advisory Committee from 1999 to 2003, playing a meaningful role in the development of policies and procedures guiding AATA services for people with disabilities. She was a volunteer and advocate with the Ann Arbor Center for Independent Living and served on the committee of the Religious Coalition for the Homeless. In recognition of her dedication to young people, she was named a 2009 Washtenaw Super Mentor by the Washtenaw Youth Mentoring Coalition. LuAnne was also a Master Gardener, completing the program in 1995.

LuAnne served in numerous leadership roles with the Ann Arbor City Democrats and contributed to the Susan Greenberg Scholarship and Nominating Committees. She served as a Ward 3 Elected Precinct Delegate and as a Washtenaw County Democratic Ward 3 Delegate and Precinct Representative. In 2010, she ran as a Democratic primary candidate for District 11 on Washtenaw County’s Board of Commissioners.

LuAnne was a long-time and active member of the Lions Club of Ann Arbor, where she was widely known as generous, intelligent, and deeply dedicated. Those who worked alongside her remember her as thoughtful and kind, a friendly and trusted voice in civic spaces, a source of research expertise and practical insight, and a tireless champion for people navigating disability and systemic barriers. Advocacy for LuAnne was personal, persistent, and grounded in lived experience.

She is survived by her siblings Jane Martin, Bonnie Kannowski, Dolores Silbart (Larry), Al (Nancy), Graham, and Max (Crystal); her brother-in-law Thomas VanderMey; her children John Joseph and Rebecca Anne; her nieces and nephews; and many who worked alongside her in civic and advocacy spaces. She was preceded in death by her parents, Dolores Christine and Robert Paul Kannowski, and by her sister Roberta VanderMey.

LuAnne will be remembered for her force of will, her advocacy, her intelligence and her spirit. She approached life from a humanist perspective, shaped by self-determination and an insistence on being seen as she was, not as others wished her to be. She did not seek approval or legacy; she sought agency and meaningful change. To many in her community, she was a humanitarian, a fighter with an incredible heart, and a one-of-a-kind presence whose absence will be deeply felt. Her life stands as evidence that impact does not require consensus—only commitment.

Services for LuAnne will be held on January 25, 2026, at Muehlig Funeral Chapel, located at 403 S. Fourth Avenue, Ann Arbor, MI 48104. A memorial visitation will take place from 11:30 a.m. to 12:00 p.m., followed immediately by a memorial service beginning at 12:00 p.m. A luncheon will be served following the service.