Kaye Kelley Diefenderfer, born Kaye Elizabeth Kelley, 78, passed away peacefully on March 4, 2026, surrounded by the love and presence of her devoted family and friends.

Born on April 8, 1947, in Ocala, Florida, Kaye was the daughter of Emmie Claire Jennings (later Steele) and James Keels Kelley, Jr. She graduated from Ocala High School in 1965, where she developed many lifelong friendships. She later attended Weaver Airlines School and relocated to Atlanta, Georgia, where she worked as a teletype operator for Delta Airlines. There, she met David Barton Diefenderfer, whom she married in 1971. She earned her bachelor’s degree in Independent Study in 1974, shortly before giving birth to her first daughter, Karen Michelle Konits (Diefenderfer). Her second daughter, Kelley Lauren Diefenderfer, was born in 1978.

Kaye continued her educational pursuits, earning a Master of Education degree from Georgia State University in 1980 and later her PhD in Psychology in 1986. She taught psychology before the family moved to Maitland, Florida, in 1988. She continued as a researcher and educator at the University of Central Florida and later taught at Rollins College, Valencia College, and Seminole State College before retiring in 2012.

Upon retirement, Kaye and David divorced but remained good friends. She moved briefly to Orange Park, Florida, where she spent time with her best friend and sister, Vivia Dale Powell (Kelley). They spent countless hours researching their family heritage and traveled throughout the southeastern United States to study their genealogy.

Later in life, Kaye discovered a gift for watercolor painting, creating beautiful works that she shared with family and friends. When her children were young, she gave generously of her time and spirit, volunteering with her daughters’ Girl Scout troops and Vacation Bible School.

Intellectual curiosity was at the heart of everything Kaye did. She was devoted to studying cognitive and educational psychology, learning theory, and metacognition. She was deeply committed to her students and colleagues, on whom she had a lasting impact. She left an enduring impression on all who knew her and will be lovingly remembered for her intelligence, humor, creativity, and impish nature. Her legacy lives on in the lives she touched, the knowledge she shared, and the love she gave so freely.

She is survived by her daughters, Karen Michelle Konits (Diefenderfer), and Kelley Lauren Diefenderfer; her former husband and friend, David Barton Diefenderfer; nieces Heather Kincaid (Kelley) and Angelique Figueroa (Kinker); and nephews Scott Powell, Eric Powell, Lance Powell, and Matthew Diefenderfer; and grandchildren Isabella Grace Konits and Michael Alexander Konits.

She was preceded in death by her mother, Emmie Claire Jennings Kelley Steele; her stepfather, Lawrence “Larry” Steele; her father, James Keels Kelley, Jr.; her sister, Vivia Dale Powell (Kelley); and James “Jim” Keels Kelley, III.

A Celebration of Life will be held in upcoming months. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, VITAS Hospice, or A Better Life Pet Rescue in Maitland, Florida.