Sharon Butchko Blumenfeld (aka Elsh) passed away on August 18th, 2025, in Murfreesboro, TN at the age of 80.

She had recently suffered a stroke but was on the road to recovery. She was her usual funny and feisty self, right up to the very end. In a life filled with many serious health issues, she remained resilient and upbeat. She lived her life fully and independently, which is exactly how she wanted it.

Sharon was born on May 15th,1945, in Sampson, NY to Dr. Anthony T. and Stephana Butchko and grew up in Clarks Summit, PA. She graduated from Clarks Summit Abington High School in 1963, then attended Temple University Nursing School in Philadelphia, PA, graduating in 1966 with her RN and in 1968 with a B.S. in Education.

She married S. Theodore Blumenfeld, Esq. (deceased 2015) on May 24th, 1969, in Philadelphia, PA. She became stepmother to his four sons, Jeffrey (Stephanie), Richard (Michelle), David (Sally), and Andrew (Lea). Their daughter, Mara, was born in 1970.

Sharon worked for many years in Philadelphia as a psychiatric nurse, before making a major career pivot to become a travel agent in the mid-1980s. She worked for Rosenbluth Travel, then later for her own private company. During that time, she was able to travel extensively, including Australia and New Zealand, most of Europe, China, South America, and a particularly memorable safari to Kenya.

In her later years, she returned to psychiatric nursing, working for the Horsham Clinic in Horsham, PA. In 2012, she relocated to Murfreesboro, TN, to be closer to her family. She continued to work as a psychiatric nurse at Rolling Hills Hospital in Franklin, TN. She retired from nursing only a few years ago, after the pandemic. Through her work as a nurse and travel agent, Sharon touched the lives of so many of her co-workers and clients, bringing warmth, humor, and kindness to everything she did.

Besides travel, Sharon's great loves were her family, friends, and her pets. She is survived by her daughter, Mara Blumenfeld, brother and sister-in-law Thomas D. and Leanne Butchko, nieces Shannon Poss (Brandon) and Kymberly Armstrong (JJ), and grand-nieces and nephews Brylee, Caylinn, Maddux, and Gavin Armstrong, Jade Hibpshman, and Nikolai Poss. And, of course, her beloved dog, MuShu.

Cremation will take place at Woodfin Funeral Chapel, Murfreesboro, TN. No services are scheduled at this time. A Celebration of Life will be planned for a future date. In honor of Sharon, please consider a donation in her memory to the ASPCA.