Desiree Lynn (Clifford) Risley, 60, passed away at 2:20 a.m. on September 19, 2026, in Warrensburg, Missouri, at her daughter's home after a long battle with liver failure.

Desiree leaves behind a family she loved wholly, fiercely, and without reservation. She is survived by her husband of 38 years, William David Risley Jr., 61, of Las Vegas, with whom she built nearly four decades of life, memories, laughter, and family.

She also leaves behind her three daughters: Angel Rivera, 44, of Las Vegas; Tashena Drayton, 41, and her husband, Mitchell A. Drayton, 42, of Missouri; and Tawni Tavenner, 37, and her husband, Ryan Tavenner, 35, of Washington.

One of Desiree's greatest joys was being a grandmother. Her many loved and adored grandbabies were Tristan Haynes, 24; Sabrina Drayton, 23; PashiaLyn Ignacio, 23; Tevin Haynes, 22; Samantha Drayton, 21; Tarren Haynes, 20; Mitchell I. Drayton, 18; Mykah Drayton, 17; Aura Tavenner, 12; Iianna Drayton, 12; Alawyn Tavenner, 6; and Áine Tavenner, 3. She was also blessed with one deeply loved great-grandbaby, ZaKai Ignacio-DuBois, 2.

Desiree is also survived by her many loving siblings and their families: Thomas Cummings, Debbie Hoffman, Tanya "Tammy" Alvardo, Melanie Hoffman, and George "Joe" Hoffman, Vincent Clifford, Brian Clifford, William "Billy" Clifford. She also leaves behind her beloved ride-or-die, "Cheetah," of South Carolina, along with many aunts, uncles, cousins, nieces, nephews, extended family members, and friends whose lives were made more loving and brighter by knowing her.

She was preceded in death by her parents, William and Barbara Clifford of New York, and brother Wayne Cummings of Florida.

Desiree was a proud Army wife and a woman of many trades, but no title could ever fully describe her. She loved her husband, her daughters, and her entire family with everything she had. She loved loudly and proudly, and if Desiree loved you, you knew it.

She loved to laugh and was so often the life of the party. She loved traveling, dancing like no one was looking, cooking a feast, eating new foods, shopping endlessly, and spending time at the beach. She loved Ozzy Osbourne, gnomes, dragonflies, fairies, monkeys, the color purple, and - perhaps most importantly - anything chocolate. Thanksgiving and Christmas held a special place in her heart, bringing together so many of the things she treasured most: family, food, celebration, and love.

And then there were the things Desiree said - the phrases her family can still hear in her playful voice:

"Gimmie that money, honey."

"I love you so much!"

And, when the occasion called for it, her unforgettable, "Sucka .....!" IYKYK

Those who knew Desiree will remember more than the things she loved. They will remember her laughter. Her mischievous humor. Her fierceness. Her love of a good time. The way she could fill a room with her personality and make a memory simply by being there. Most of all, they will remember how deeply she loved. Her family was her heart, and the enormous family she leaves behind is part of her legacy. She lives on in her daughters, her grandchildren and great-grandchild, in family traditions and holidays, in laughter around a table, in trips to the beach, in purple things and dragonflies, in chocolate shared when someone probably should have saved room for dinner, and in all the stories that will begin with, "Remember when Mom..."

There will be no funeral service, in accordance with Desiree's wishes.

Though there will be no formal goodbye, there are sixty years of memories, laughter, stories, and love to carry forward.

And somewhere in all of them, Desiree will forever be reminding her girls: "You get it from your momma."

We love you so much.