Elizabeth "Betsy" O'Connor Blunk, 54, of Denver, Colorado, passed away on Sept. 17, 2026.

Betsy was born Sept. 27, 1971, to Peter and Mary Jane Kirchhof and grew up in Denver alongside her siblings, Peter Kirchhof, Katie Armatas, Julie Mannion, and Jamie Kirchhof. Family was an important part of Betsy's life throughout the years. She was preceded in death by her parents, Peter and Mary Jane, and her sister, Julie.

Of all the roles Betsy had throughout her life, being a mother was the one she treasured most. Her children, William Blunk and Mallory Blunk, were her pride and joy. She loved them deeply, supported them through every stage of their lives and was always someone they knew they could turn to.

Betsy was that person for many others, too. She was someone you could lean on during the hardest moments without having to explain yourself. She showed up, listened without judgment and was always ready to help. She treated those around her with kindness, respect and genuine care.

Betsy also valued her friendships deeply. She made many close friends from every stage of her life, and those friendships lasted for years. Betsy loved spending time with the people closest to her, and she especially loved being by the beach, a place that brought her happiness.

After earning her nursing degree from Creighton University, Betsy built a career in healthcare that reflected her desire to care for others. She most recently served as Director of Clinical Informatics with Sarah Cannon, where she spent more than a decade working within the blood cancer and transplant community.

For decades, Betsy also worked closely with the National Marrow Donor Program (NMDP), helping find donors for stem cell transplant recipients. She supported donor drives, provided education to those in the transplant community and contributed in many other ways to supporting patients and families.

In recognition of Betsy's years of work with NMDP, plans are underway to establish a fund in her memory to provide patient assistance. The fund will honor the work Betsy dedicated so much of her life to and continue helping patients in her name.

Betsy is survived by her children, William and Mallory; her siblings, Peter, Katie and Jamie; many nieces and nephews; and the many friends, colleagues and loved ones who were fortunate to be part of her life.

Betsy wanted those who knew and loved her to celebrate the life she had rather than only mourning the loss. She was incredibly grateful for the beautiful life she lived and for every person who was a part of it. Her children, family, friendships and the people she met along the way made her life what it was.

Above all, Betsy would want everyone she loved to know how thankful she was to have shared her life with them. Her life was filled with love, meaningful relationships and countless memories, and she hoped those memories would continue to be celebrated.

Information regarding services and a celebration of Betsy's life will be shared later.