On December 22, 1985, two sisters from Dearborn, Michigan walked down the aisle at Grosse Pointe Memorial Church at the same time. JoAnn Sklarski married Kirk Gibson. Sandy Sklarski married Dave Rozema. Both men were Detroit Tigers. The reporters who covered it were not allowed inside the reception at the Detroit Yacht Club.
That double wedding is the most documented public moment of JoAnn Sklarski’s life. Everything before it is thin. Everything after it — until Kirk Gibson’s 2015 Parkinson’s diagnosis — is almost invisible.
Then she co-founded a foundation. Sat on its board. Helped raise more than $4 million for research and therapy programs. None of that gets much attention.
Quick Facts
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Full name | JoAnn P. Sklarski |
| Born | March 8, 1958 (per public records — see contradictions) |
| Hometown | Dearborn, Michigan (confirmed by AP caption, 1985) |
| Known addresses | Detroit and Fraser, Michigan (per public records) |
| Occupation | Former model; co-founder and board member, Kirk Gibson Foundation for Parkinson’s |
| Sister | Sandy Sklarski (married Dave Rozema, former Tigers pitcher) |
| Husband | Kirk Gibson (married December 22, 1985) |
| Wedding venue | Grosse Pointe Memorial Church, Grosse Pointe Farms, Michigan |
| Children | Four: Colleen Gibson, Cam Gibson, Kirk Gibson Jr., Kevin Gibson |
| Current residence | Grosse Pointe, Michigan |
| Foundation role | Co-founder and board member, Kirk Gibson Foundation for Parkinson’s (since inception) |
| Social media | None confirmed |
Dearborn, Michigan — The One Confirmed Origin Detail
Most sources about JoAnn leave her background entirely blank. Her parents are never named. Her education is undocumented. Her modeling career has no client list, no agency name, no dates.
But the AP photo caption from January 1985 — archived through Alamy — identifies her specifically as “Joann Sklarski of Dearborn, Mich.” That is an Associated Press sourced caption from a press event. It is the most credible geographic data point that exists about her.
She was at the event as Kirk Gibson’s fiancée. The couple had confirmed their upcoming double wedding. The caption is contemporaneous — written in 1985, not reconstructed later.
MyHeritage public records list two Michigan addresses associated with her name: Schoenherr Street in Detroit and Fraser Drive in Fraser, Michigan — a suburb northeast of Detroit. Neither address is verified as current.
That is the full extent of what can be confirmed about where she came from.
The Double Wedding — And What Makes It More Interesting Than It Sounds
The double wedding on December 22, 1985 is not just a wedding story. It tells you something about how tightly connected these two families became.
Dave Rozema had played alongside Kirk Gibson on the Detroit Tigers from 1979 through 1984 — five seasons as teammates, including the 1984 World Series championship. They were close enough that when both men got serious with the Sklarski sisters, they planned the ceremony together.
The setup is unusual. Both sisters from suburban Detroit. Both marrying professional baseball players. Both men from the same team. Both weddings on the same afternoon, in the same church, on the same day.
The reception afterward was at the Detroit Yacht Club. Press covered the ceremony. No reporters were allowed inside the party. The Chicago Tribune noted it but had no access beyond that.
After the ceremony, Kirk Gibson and JoAnn started their married life in a Detroit sports world that was at a peak — the Tigers had just won the World Series a year earlier, in 1984. Gibson was one of the franchise’s biggest names.
Who Kirk Gibson Is — The Career JoAnn Stood Beside
This is necessary context for understanding what JoAnn’s life looked like from 1985 forward.
Kirk Gibson played for the Detroit Tigers, Los Angeles Dodgers, Kansas City Royals, and Pittsburgh Pirates across 17 seasons. He was an All-American at Michigan State — in both football and baseball. In football he was a wide receiver recruited by Bo Schaefer.
The two defining moments of his playing career: The 1984 World Series home run off Goose Gossage in Game 5, clinching the title for Detroit. And the 1988 World Series Game 1, when Gibson — barely able to walk due to injuries — pinch-hit in the bottom of the ninth against Oakland closer Dennis Eckersley and hit a walk-off home run. He limped around the bases. He pumped his fist. He was named the 1988 National League MVP. The moment is one of the most replayed in baseball history.
He later managed the Arizona Diamondbacks from 2010 to 2014, winning National League Manager of the Year in 2011.
JoAnn was present through all of it.
The Parkinson’s Diagnosis — What Neither of Them Saw Coming
This is the part of JoAnn’s story that is best documented, and the part most articles treat as a footnote.
Kirk Gibson was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease on April 28, 2015. He had just started a new broadcasting role with Fox Sports Detroit, working about 60 games as a color analyst. On Opening Day 2015, he froze on camera during the postgame wrap-up. He could not speak. He knew something was wrong.
Two days later: Parkinson’s disease.
What makes this relevant to JoAnn is what the Detroit News reported: neither she nor Kirk had recognized the symptoms building up beforehand. When his gait changed slightly, they both attributed it to the orthopedic damage accumulated over a long playing career — neck surgery, shoulder repairs, wrist injuries. When his voice became less reliable, they assumed it was a short-term problem.
They were a couple married 30 years at the time, watching each other closely, and they still did not see it coming. That is not a criticism. That is how Parkinson’s often presents.
Hour Detroit magazine reported that after the diagnosis, JoAnn sat Kirk down for a pep talk. He later described it as a turning point in how he decided to handle the disease. She pushed him toward action rather than retreat.
Kirk Gibson has since said: “You really learn what makes you go and who’s there for you and who isn’t.” He did not name JoAnn specifically in that line. He did not need to.
The Kirk Gibson Foundation — Her Actual Documented Work
This is the most verifiable evidence of what JoAnn does.
The Kirk Gibson Foundation for Parkinson’s website lists her directly: “JoAnn co-founded the Kirk Gibson Foundation and has served as a Board member since inception. With Kirk’s diagnosis in 2015 JoAnn has been an advocate for the Parkinson’s community.”
That is primary source documentation from the organization itself. It is not secondhand reporting, not speculation, not a vague description. She co-founded it. She has been on the board from the start.
The foundation began with a different focus — college scholarships — and expanded its mission after the 2015 diagnosis to center on Parkinson’s research and therapy access. Since 2018, it has raised more than $4 million. Its annual Kirk Gibson Golf Classic at Wyndgate Country Club in Rochester Hills is one of the main fundraisers. A bowling event called Strike Out Parkinson’s is another.
The foundation’s specific goal, as of recent reporting, is to build therapy centers for Parkinson’s patients in southeast Michigan. This matters because insurance typically does not cover long-term Parkinson’s therapy. The foundation’s work is filling a gap the system leaves open.
JoAnn’s role in all of this is confirmed and documented. It is more concrete than any other career fact that exists about her.
The Children — What Is Known
Four children. Colleen, Cam, Kirk Jr., and Kevin.
Cam Gibson is the most publicly visible. He was drafted by the Detroit Tigers in the fifth round of the 2015 MLB draft — the same year his father was diagnosed with Parkinson’s. He spent five years in the Tigers minor league system as an outfielder. He now works for the Kirk Gibson Foundation. Kirk Gibson himself mentioned Cam by name in multiple interviews about the foundation, describing him as central to the organization’s day-to-day work.
Kevin Gibson has been described as a defenseman for the Fort Wayne Komets, an ice hockey team in the ECHL. The sport — hockey rather than baseball — is not explained in any source. It is an unusual detail for a family embedded in baseball culture, and no source explores it further.
Kirk Gibson Jr. is mentioned by name in reports but has no documented public profile.
Colleen Gibson — described by Kirk as “my daughter Colleen” in foundation coverage — also maintains a private life.
What One Source Completely Invented
One article, published on a Belgian business website with no sports credibility, describes JoAnn Sklarski as “Founder of a successful startup focusing on sustainable practices” with “numerous accolades” and experience “from marketing to project management.”
This is not about JoAnn Sklarski. It is AI-generated filler text that appears to have been produced for a different person entirely and published under her name. There is zero overlap between this description and any verified fact about her.
It is worth flagging because it appears in search results and could mislead anyone researching her.
The Birth Year Discrepancy — Small But Real
MyHeritage public records index lists JoAnn P. Sklarski’s birth date as March 8, 1958. This is a public records database entry.
Fabwags.com, writing in 2015, described her as “also 57” alongside the note that Kirk was 57 at the time of his Parkinson’s diagnosis. Kirk Gibson was born May 28, 1957. If JoAnn was also “57” in April 2015, she would have been born around 1957 or 1958. This is consistent with the MyHeritage record.
One low-quality site suggests she was born “around 1951” — an estimate that contradicts both the public records and the Fabwags contemporaneous note. The 1958 date is better supported.
What Is Actually Known vs. What Is Not
Confirmed or well-sourced:
- Full name: JoAnn P. Sklarski
- Born March 8, 1958 (public records)
- From Dearborn, Michigan (AP caption, 1985)
- Former model based in the Detroit/Dearborn area
- Sister: Sandy Sklarski, who married Dave Rozema on the same day
- Married Kirk Gibson: December 22, 1985, Grosse Pointe Memorial Church
- Four children: Colleen, Cam, Kirk Jr., Kevin
- Cam works for the Kirk Gibson Foundation after a Tigers minor league stint
- Kirk diagnosed with Parkinson’s April 28, 2015
- JoAnn sat Kirk down for a pep talk after diagnosis (Hour Detroit)
- Neither she nor Kirk recognized the Parkinson’s symptoms before diagnosis
- Co-founded Kirk Gibson Foundation; board member since inception
- Foundation has raised $4 million+ since 2018
- Lives in Grosse Pointe, Michigan
Undocumented or unverifiable:
- Her parents’ names — never publicly stated
- Her modeling agency or client history
- Her education
- How she met Kirk Gibson
- Kevin Gibson’s hockey career context — no explanation offered anywhere
Actively invented or wrong:
- The Belgian website description of her as a startup founder (completely false)
- Any birth year claim earlier than 1957
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FAQ — 12 Real Questions
1. Who is JoAnn Sklarski?
She is the wife of former MLB star and manager Kirk Gibson, whom she married on December 22, 1985. She is a former model from Dearborn, Michigan, and the co-founder of the Kirk Gibson Foundation for Parkinson’s disease.
2. Where is she from?
Dearborn, Michigan, confirmed by an Associated Press photo caption from January 1985. Public records also show addresses in Detroit and Fraser, Michigan.
3. What is her birth date?
Public records list March 8, 1958. A 2015 article also described her as 57 at the time of Kirk’s diagnosis, consistent with that year. Claims of earlier birth years are not well supported.
4. What was the double wedding?
On December 22, 1985, JoAnn and Kirk Gibson married at Grosse Pointe Memorial Church at the same ceremony where her sister Sandy married Dave Rozema — Kirk’s former Tigers teammate. Both sisters married professional baseball players from the same team, on the same day, in the same church.
5. Did JoAnn know Kirk was sick before the 2015 diagnosis?
No. She and Kirk both attributed his gait and voice changes to old orthopedic injuries from his playing career. The Parkinson’s diagnosis came two days after Kirk froze during a live Fox Sports Detroit broadcast on Opening Day 2015. According to the Detroit News, neither saw it coming.
6. What did JoAnn do after the diagnosis?
According to Hour Detroit, she sat Kirk down for a pep talk that helped push him toward a proactive response. She co-founded the Kirk Gibson Foundation for Parkinson’s and has served on its board since the beginning.
7. What does the foundation actually do?
It raises funds for Parkinson’s research and therapy access. Its goal includes building therapy centers in southeast Michigan, since insurance typically does not cover long-term Parkinson’s treatment. Since 2018, it has raised more than $4 million.
8. What about their children?
Four: Colleen, Cam, Kirk Jr., and Kevin. Cam Gibson was drafted by the Detroit Tigers in 2015, played in their minor league system for five years, and now works for the foundation. Kevin Gibson has been described as a hockey player in the ECHL. No other source explains this detail.
9. Did JoAnn have a career beyond modeling?
Her modeling career has no documented details. Her confirmed professional role is co-founder and board member of the Kirk Gibson Foundation — a position that is documented on the foundation’s own website.
10. What is the claim about her being a “startup founder”?
One website describes her as the founder of a sustainable practices startup with business accolades. This is entirely fabricated — AI-generated content almost certainly written for a different person or for no real person at all. No other source mentions it.
11. What is the relationship between the Sklarski and Rozema families now?
Dave Rozema and Sandy remain married. The two couples — Gibson/Sklarski and Rozema/Sklarski — became brothers and sisters-in-law through that double wedding. Grokipedia’s sourced Rozema entry confirms they have remained based in Michigan.
12. Where does she live now?
Grosse Pointe, Michigan. Multiple sources confirm this location. The Kirk Gibson Foundation is based in Birmingham, Michigan, nearby.