Sabrina Joy Salisbury

Sabrina Joy (Schipani) Salisbury, age 49 of Grand Rapids, Michigan went peacefully to her heavenly home on Monday, January 25, 2021.

Sabrina Joy was aptly named, as she brought tremendous joy to all who knew her. Her friends knew she would always be there to listen or to provide a shoulder to cry on. But she was also known to crack a joke to make you laugh and always led the crowd to dance. She laughed easily and was a supportive friend. Sabrina lit up every room she entered. Those who knew her grew to love and enjoy her warm and fun personality.

As much as she loved her friends, her family came first. She loved them all deeply and was loved in return. Sabrina received her master’s degree in Youth Development at Michigan State University with a minor in Psychology. She met Wesley Salisbury while she was a student at Michigan State University, and they married in 2002. Together, they raised daughter Korinne (age 20) and son Dante (age 10) with the abundant love found in Sabrina’s big Italian family. She was affectionately known as Aunt Brina, and she was so proud of all “her kids” because she truly was a second mom to many of her nieces and nephews, as well as their friends. She never missed a baseball game, a dance recital, a graduation. She loved spending time with her family, and most recently loved spending time with them at their place on the beach riding in the boat and digging her toes in the sand.

She was preceded in death by her beautiful mother, Miranda Schipani and adorable nephew AJ Schipani. The three of them are now dancing together and watching over those left behind. In addition to Wesley, Korinne, and Dante, she is survived by: her father Joseph Schipani, brother Anthony (Heather) Schipani, sister Miria (Johnny) Rabideau, and numerous nephews and nieces: Michael, Jennifer, Joseph, Nicholas, Dominic, James, Sarina, Isabella, Marc, Mia, Samuel, Emily, Katie, Audrey, Elizabeth, Christine, Jimmy, Lina, Mona, Dylan, Kyle and Bryce, and great-nephew and nieces Alayna, Avery, and Adalai who are all named here because they loved her like a second mother and she would want them to know they were loved as well.

A visitation will be held at O’brien-Eggebeen-Gerst Chapel, 3980 Cascade Road SE, Grand Rapids on Sunday, January 31, 2021 from 3 pm – 6 pm. Funeral service will be held at St. Robert of Newminster Parish, 6477 Ada Drive SE, Ada on Monday, February 1, 2021. Visitation begins at 10 am, mass at 11 am. Burial will be at Resurrection Cemetery, 4100 Clyde Park Avenue SW, Wyoming, Monday, February 1, 2021 immediately following mass. (Please follow the social distancing guidelines.) You may view the live streamed service at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V1apL3iq3sk&feature=youtu.be

In lieu of flowers, please consider making a donation to Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (www.jdrf.org) or St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital (www.stjude.org).