Willow Ann Al-Shamma

Willow Ann Al-Shamma, born August 23, 1975, in Rhinebeck, New York, passed away unexpectedly but peacefully on February 26, 2026, at the age of 50. Growing up in Traverse City, Michigan, Willow cherished her time in nature, where she enjoyed swimming, snow skiing, water skiing, sailing, and fishing with her dad in the Pere Marquette River. In high school, she excelled as a diver on the Trojan Swim Team, competing in the state finals, and spent her summers as a lifeguard at Pathfinder School, a role that reflected her deep and enduring commitment to the care and safety of others. Her passion for music led her to attend Blue Lake Music Camp for several summers. She played violin in the Traverse City Senior High School Symphony Orchestra, serving as president in her senior year, and performed on the stage of the Kennedy Performing Arts Center. Willow graduated from Miami University of Ohio in 1997 with a degree in primary education, completing her student teaching in Germany. An avid traveler, she loved exploring the globe. Her favorite trips included ski adventures in Austria, where her daughter, Marguerite, trained with her high school ski team at age 16, and family adventures in France. A brilliant and perpetual learner, Willow changed her career path several times, achieving mastery and success in each endeavor. After college, she settled in Fort Collins, Colorado, where she became a real estate agent and was named Rookie of the Year in 1998 for selling more than a million dollars in real estate during her first year. She later returned to Traverse City, taking on a leadership role at Distribution Solutions International, an international logistics firm. Willow then trained herself in bookkeeping and founded Mintbooks, LLC, a successful bookkeeping business. A lifelong volunteer, Willow generously gave of her time and talents, guiding and supporting individuals behind the scenes and championing causes she believed in. She shared her knowledge and experience with political campaigns and initiatives serving families and women. Even as she navigated her own chronic illness with quiet resilience and unwavering determination, Willow became a force within the national Lyme community, counseling countless families as they navigated the complicated landscape of chronic Lyme infections. Her strength in the face of her own struggle only deepened the compassion and credibility she brought to her work. However, Willow’s most significant life accomplishment and greatest joy were her children, Marguerite and Aden. She poured herself into motherhood with the same passion and dedication she brought to everything she touched, and her children were the clearest reflection of who she was at her very best. Raising them alongside her beloved husband, Jamal, provided her with profound fulfillment. Fun was something Willow understood better than most. She could spot it where others missed it entirely, and once she saw it, she never let it pass. Her delight was contagious, and the people around her were almost always swept along. Willow was preceded in death by her grandfather, Donald Borgeson; her stepfather, Kent Gray; and her stepmother, Megan Kuhlman. She is survived by her husband, Jamal; children, Marguerite and Aden; mother, Brooke Borgeson-Gray; father, Gary Kuhlman; stepbrother, Bryon Kuhlman; grandmother, Cecile Borgeson; and aunts, uncles, and cousins. She is also survived by her husband’s family, including her father- and mother-in-law, Assad and Sandra Al-Shamma; and brother-in-law, Waleed Al-Shamma (Anjuli Maniam). A memorial service honoring Willow’s life will be held at Central United Methodist Church in Traverse City on March 11, 2026 with visitation at 12:00 p.m., the service at 1:00 p.m., and a reception to follow. Memorial donations in honor of Willow can be made to the Lyme Treatment Foundation, Inc., 102 N.E. 2nd Street, Suite 907, Boca Raton, FL 33432. Willow’s vibrant spirit and unwavering dedication to those she loved will be deeply missed by all who knew her. Her enduring legacy lives on in the hearts of the countless family members and friends she leaves behind, forever touched by her kindness, strength, and generosity.

Willow Ann Al-Shamma

August 23, 1975 - February 26, 2026