Daphne Genevieve Backes

In loving remembrance, we celebrate the life of Daphne Genevieve Backes, a loving mother, grandmother, great grandmother, wife, and friend. Daphne passed peacefully in her home on January 10, surrounded by her children and her extended family.

Born in 1931 in Tehachapi to Angelita and John Anthony, Daphne had 2 brothers, Tony and Jimmy and a sister Helen. She attended school in Tehachapi, was a good student and was crowned Lilac Queen in her senior year. After graduating high school, she worked to help send her brother to college, then later in life went to college to study art, a lifelong passion.

In 1949, she met and married Karl Backes, and together they moved to Hawaii where Karl was stationed in the Navy. They moved back to Tehachapi and started a family, raising four daughters and two sons. Daphne was active in her children's lives supporting their many school and sports activities. She served as a member and president of the Tehachapi Elementary School PTA and as a Campfire Girls leader.

Daphne was active in her community. She was a lifelong member of St. Malachy's Catholic Church. She also served as a member and president of the Chamber of Commerce.

Working with the Chamber of Commerce, she helped create Tehachapi's displays at the Kern County Fair over several years.

Daphne's creativity was also seen in her cooking and her art. She loved to cook and was famous for her pies and cakes. She catered many events for family and friends and after her children were grown, opened a restaurant with her daughter, Marianne. Some of the recipes she created were published in Good Housekeeping and Bon Appetit.

Daphne was an accomplished artist. Working in both oil and oil pastels, she created many beautiful paintings of people and animals.

Daphne is survived by her sister, Helen, her children, Michele {Rod), Angeline (Robbin), Michael {Kim), Marianne (Tommy), and David (Trina), fifteen grandchildren and twenty-three great grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her mother, Angelita Ott, her husband Karl Backes, and her daughter Lynn Brown.

A Funeral Mass will be celebrated on Friday, January 23 at 10:00am at St. Malachy's Catholic Church. A graveside Rite of Committal and lunch at St. Malachy's Church will follow.