Deborah Stevens Daffer

October 12, 1949 - March 4, 2026

Deborah Catherine Daffer of Wichita, Kansas, passed away at 76 years of age. She completed her long battle with Lewy body dementia, passing peacefully with family by her side. Deborah was born in Fontana, California to Arthur and Jacquelyn Stevens. She lived much of her life in Las Vegas, Nevada and La Mesa, California before making her home in Wichita.

She had a deep love for the ocean that never left her, even when life took her to Nevada and Kansas, and one she passed on to her children. Her love for animals was equally strong, having shared her home with many beloved cats and dogs throughout her life. She spent countless hours researching her family lineage, tracing her roots back to Scotland and Ireland. She loved spending time shopping and always had a murder mystery novel within reach; you could usually count on it being Agatha Christie or Sue Grafton. On Sundays, you could find her watching football, never shy about yelling at the TV to get her players to step it up.

A breast cancer survivor, Deborh fought and beat the disease over 15 years ago. In the years that followed she faced her battles with characteristic feistiness, having been diagnosed with Parkinson's disease and ultimately Lewy body dementia, a recent bout of shingles proving to be the catalyst that ended her fight.

Deborah was preceded in death by her parents; her husband of 31 years, John Daffer, who passed away in 2020; and her brother, Jud Stevens (SPHS '70), who passed away in 2024. She is survived by her four children, Tamara, Brian, Carolyn, and Catherine, along with "adopted" children Kevin, Krista, and Kathy' nine grandchildren and 11 great-grandchildren.

Legacy.com, March 2026