Frances Darlene Stephens

FRANCES DEE STEPHENS Frances Darlene "Dee" Stephens (née Skaggs), aged 84, passed away on July 27, 2024, in Kansas City, Missouri. Born on May 19, 1940, in Huzzah, Crawford County, Missouri, Dee was a beloved mother, artist, and businesswoman. She inspired many with her creative spirit and willingness to share her knowledge of art, cooking, gardening, decorating, antiques, and more. There were a few things that Dee felt she could not do, and she inspired others to think big as well. Her creativity was boundless - she was a prolific painter, and she carved several statues of mothers and children out of cherry wood harvested from the forests of Missouri by her father, Garland Orville Skaggs. She made kiln-fired ceramics, she made jewelry. She taught art at home and in schools. Dee is survived by her children, Temple Anne Stephens of New Orleans, Garland Stephens of Houston, Andrew Stephens of Maryland, and Ablo Bah of Columbia. Her grandchildren are Grace Stephens, Kathryn Stephens, Valentina Stephens, Alessandro Stephens, Frances Dee Silney-Bah J.D., and Toni Silney-Bah. She was preceded in death by her devoted husband, Temple Stephens, and her daughters, Meghan Stephens and Janet Stephens. Dee graduated from Clopton High School before studying art at Truman State University and the University of Missouri, Columbia. While at Truman State she made friends from around the world and spent a year abroad at the University of Göttingen in Germany. At Göttingen, she traveled widely, including visits to Italy, Egypt, and Russia. At Göttingen, she met Heidi and Pete Sommerkamp who became her closest friends, and they stayed in touch for life. Dee hosted several international exchange high school students, including Heidi and Pete's daughter, Katja, and Monique Tuinman from the Netherlands. Dee also made lifelong friends with international students at the University of Missouri. She hosted Dr. Ablo Bahand Dr. Carolle Silney-Bah for one of their first dates when they were students. They named their daughter, Frances Dee Silney-Bah J.D., after Grandma Dee, and an extended family was born. Dee enjoyed traveling her entire life, making several trips to Europe while raising her children. When her children were grown, she was always up for a road trip to visit New York, Maryland, Texas, and New Orleans. Dee knew luxury, and she knew hardship. She married Temple Jay Stephens on Christmas Day, 1962 and they lived comfortably in Moberly before moving to Columbia in 1980. After the bankruptcy of the family business in the 1990s, Dee made her living selling antiques, and for a couple of years, she operated a tavern in Bucklin with her brother Bud. For a brief time, she helped manage a foster home for teenage girls. In 2004 she came into an inheritance and retired to Talbot Hill, an antebellum mansion outside of Fayette that was built in 1852. Politics were important to Dee. She was an alternate delegate to the 1968 Democratic National Convention in Chicago and a delegate to the 1984 Democratic National Convention. In her final years, Dee suffered from Dementia. She was cared for by her niece Renee Brown and her daughter Olivia in Ellsberry, and by her niece Deborah in Kansas City while under the guardianship of her son, Andrew. Despite her fading memory, her face would light up with happiness during visits with family and friends. A memorial service will be held at 11 a.m. on Thursday, August 8th, at Oakland Cemetery in Moberly. Heartland Cremation and Burial Society are arranging the service. After the service, a reception will be held in Columbia. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to the Alzheimer's Association or the Columbia Art League, honoring Dee's memory.