Joanne Passano Bartlett

Joanne Passano Bartlett, age 64, died November 7, 2025, at her home in Owings Mills, Maryland, where she was lovingly cared for by her husband, Chris Bartlett, and her two adult children, Elizabeth Brown and Nicholas Bartlett.
Born March 21, 1961, Joanne was a lifelong educator, not just as a classroom teacher, college counselor, coach, and tutor, but as a devoted mother and grandmother. Her own education began at the Gibson Island Country School, and later continued at the Madeira School, in McLean, Virginia, where she served as president of the student body. At Denison University, in Granville, Ohio, she met her husband Chris and lettered in varsity lacrosse and (as team captain) field hockey.
Her career in education began as a teacher and coach at Severn School. From there, she earned a Master of Education from Loyola University, and for a decade worked at St. Paul's School for Girls as a college counselor and an admissions director. She later became certified to tutor students with dyslexia at the Odyssey School.
But perhaps her most important work in the field of education came in her capacity as a board member and board president of St. Paul's School for Girls. Following years of discussion and debate, Joanne helped lead the long and complex "unification" of The St. Paul's Schools. As a result of her work with Elizabeth Robinson, the two schools have retained their unique, single-sex identities, while also operating out of a more effective single administration. Joanne's sense of dedication, and her gift for diplomacy, proved essential to the success of the process.
Her more immediate community of family and friends will remember Joanne for the deep and abiding love she brought to her close relationships. Hospitality came naturally to her; at social gatherings she was famous for her "long Addington goodbye," leaving only after drawn-out and repeated farewells. She made personalized needlepoint rocking chairs for her nieces, nephews, and grandchildren, and both of her children have enough handmade ornaments to decorate two Christmas trees. She especially enjoyed needlepointing with her daughter, Elizabeth, who also became enthusiastic about the craft.
A lifelong athlete, Joanne was a multiple-time Silver Cup winner in both singles and doubles tennis. When health struggles made it difficult for her to continue playing, she pivoted to golf, which quickly became one of her favorite pastimes. She traveled with a group of friends to play courses locally and abroad, and played with her husband Chris and her son, Nicholas, whenever she could.
Joanne and Chris raised their children in Baltimore before moving to New Canaan, Connecticut, in 2006. They returned to the Baltimore area in 2013, while also spending significant time at their home in Gibson Island and in Kiawah, South Carolina. Throughout these years Joanne faced serious and repeated illness with the same grace and resilience she brought to so many other facets of her life.
Joanne is survived by her husband, Chris, Partner at Brown Advisory; her daughter, Elizabeth B. Brown and her husband Grason; her grandsons, Wesley and Russell; her son, Nicholas and his wife Beatrix; her father, William Moore Passano, Jr., and her three siblings.
A funeral service will be held at 11 a.m. on Wednesday, November 19, at St. Christopher by the Sea in Gibson Island, Maryland. Overflow seating will be available at the Gibson Island Club, where the service will be livestreamed. In recognition of Joanne's extraordinary contributions to St. Paul's and the enduring impact of her leadership, the Bartlett Family has established the Joanne P. Bartlett Endowed Scholarship Fund. This fund will provide four-year scholarships for incoming freshmen at both St. Paul's School for Boys and St. Paul's School for Girls who demonstrate a passion for the arts and/or athletics, exhibit leadership qualities that reflect Joanne's example, and contribute meaningfully to the life of the school community. In lieu of flowers, contributions to the scholarship fund can be made by contacting the St. Paul's Development Office.