Stephanie Butan Profaci • Chestertown, MD •January 26, 1938-January 31, 2023

Stephanie Butan Profaci passed peacefully on January 31, 2023 having died many years before that with the onset of Lewy Body dementia. Though the odds were against her, she fought fiercely and bravely for many years, never losing her sense of self. Stephanie finally surrendered on her own terms, five days after her 85th birthday.

Born in Brooklyn, New York to the late Frank J. and Stephanie (Stella) Butan, Stephanie graduated from the Packer Collegiate Institute and Sweet Briar College, then earned a Master's degree in Spanish from Middlebury College.

She was first and foremost an intellectual (and a bit of a know it all at times—though she usually did know what she was talking about). Her homes were filled with books in built in bookcases, carefully cataloged with New Yorker and other articles stuck in between pages of relevant books. She knew her stuff, and to the end she even answered a Jeopardy question about Geoffrey Chaucer's Canterbury tales.

Besides books and learning, horses were her lifelong passion. She grew up riding at TeeVans and Ryans riding academies in Bergen Beach where she met her future husband. Later she would school family racehorses to have the footwork and brain of a hunter, never wearing even a huntcap. Local horsefolk may remember her horse Little (Town) Grey, with the temperament and agility of a thoroughbred and the size of her Clydesdale cross.

She married Ignatius J. Profaci (I.J.) in 1961 in a small ceremony at St. Patrick's Cathedral in Manhattan with a reception afterwards at the Plaza Hotel. Together they maintained their horse sense, and had horse farms in West Virginia and Western New York as well as Chestertown. At their Little Town Farm in West Falls, NY they put on the annual West Falls Fire Co Horse Show to benefit the local fire company, and later in Chestertown they hosted small shows for local young riders, and helped organize and run schooling shows for the Tuckahoe Pony Club at Pioneer Point in Centreville, Md.

Stephanie was a gracious and delicious hostess. There was always room for another friend, old or new, and so much was learned around her dinner party table.

Using her love of language, Stephanie was an ESL tutor in the Kent and Queen Anne's County public schools in her later years. Though Spanish was her primary second language she tutored Punjabis, Arabs, Chinese, Germans as well as Hispanic and other students, appreciating their cultures as well as assisting in their education and transition to the United States. She even learned the rules to Yu-Gi-Oh.

She is survived by her husband of 61 years I.J., daughter Chesa (Michal Dickinson) of Chestertown, son Chris (Mary) of Glyndon, Md., and grandchildren Blaise Dickinson, Elizabeth Profaci, Frank Profaci and Dominic Profaci.

The family is beyond grateful to attending nurse Margie and Compass Hospice –a true godsend. In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to Compass Hospice, 255 Comet Dr, Centreville, MD 21617 in Stephanie's memory.

Stephanie Profaci lived a life well lived and wanted a good send off—so raise a glass, say a prayer, read a book, and try new things—and foods!

Services will be private.  Arrangements by Galena Funeral Home of Stephen L.Schaech