Kaye Ladeane (Richards) Stephens, aged 83, died peacefully on August 2, 2017 at the home of her daughter in Junction City, Kansas after a brief struggle with cancer. Kaye was born November 23, 1933 in Stockton, California, the daughter of Rural Odie Richards and Mildred Conklin Richards.

Kaye enjoyed reading and learning her whole life. Early in her life she loved synchronized swimming and tap dancing. Kaye graduated from Clovis High School 1951 and worked as a phone operator for Bell Telephone.

In Santa Barbara, California, Kaye married the love of her life, Paul N. Stephens and married in 1969. They raised two children John Alexander Stephens and Mary Linn Stephens Hogan.  They moved to Overland Park, Kansas in 1980. 

In addition to raising their two children she, also, enjoyed a career in commercial insurance underwriting and management at Dodson Insurance Group in Kansas City, Missouri, retiring after 25 years.   

Kaye enjoyed retirement by visiting neighbors and reading and had a heart for suffering animals and supported SPCA.

Kaye is survived by her son, John Alexander Stephens and wife, Lynnette Stephens of Wakefield, KS;  daughter, Mary L. Hogan and husband Mitchell Hogan of Junction City, Kansas;  step-son, Jay Allen Stephens of Las Vegas, Nevada; seven grandchildren, three great-grandsons and many friends.   She was preceded in death by her husband, Paul N. Stephens, her son Paul Richard Fechtner Barker, step-son Paul Bryan Stephens and a granddaughter, Noelle Joy Bergquist.

No services are planned, and her wishes after cremation are to be returned to California’s beautiful, natural places.