Lois Butcher-Poffley

IN MEMORIAM: Lois Butcher-Poffley

Dr. Lois Butcher passed away on August 2, 2024 at the age of 71 after a long battle with cancer. Lois was born on January 4, 1953, in Queens, NY. Beautifully eclectic, she loved life, cooking, higher education, volunteering, traveling, and the arts. Above all, Lois loved her family and especially cherished the holidays and large family gatherings filled with food, laughter, and love.

Dr. B - as she was affectionately known, received her bachelor’s degree from Baruch College in New York, then her M.Ed. and PhD. Degrees in sport and exercise psychology from Temple University in Philadelphia in Pennsylvania, where she was the former Director of the Bachelor of Science in Health Professions degree program (of which she was primary author), and Assistant Professor in the Department of Kinesiology from 2010-2021. She was also a performance enhancement consultant with experience ranging from amateur to professional athletes and teams.

Dr. B previously taught at The College of New Jersey and York College of the City of New York, and was most recently an adjunct professor at Rowan University in the College of Education Health and Physical Education Teacher Education Program. She was also the owner/director of Full Out, providing performance consulting for musicians, singers, and dancers. Her background in music and dance expanded her performance enhancement practice to include a variety of music and dance genres, classical music (orchestra and vocal), rock (band and solo instrumental and vocal), and dancers (ballet, tap, modern, and jazz).

As a sport psychology/performance enhancement consultant, Dr. B worked with coaches and their staffs, as well as athletes of all ages and skill levels, individually and in teams. Clients included Olympic level athletes (ice skating, archery), NCAA Division I and Division III student-athletes (basketball, track, fencing, football), and USGF nationally ranked athletes with work as both a psychological skills trainer and dance coach.

Dr. B was a workshop presenter and speaker at national and international conferences for sport psychology as well as health care and was also part of two grant programs to help obese children in disadvantaged neighborhoods. She was an AASP member and a CMPC for many years. She is survived by her children, Robert Brzezinski and his wife Heather of Flourtown, PA, and Carrie Brzezinski of Flourtown, PA. She was the beloved “Nana” to her adored grandchildren, Robbie, Giuliana, and Fiora. Lois was a loving “mom” to many.