R. DEBRA BACHUS BENDELL ESTROFF

R. Debra Bachus Bendell Estroff passed away peacefully at her home in Los Angeles on October 26th, 2025, aged 85, surrounded by her husband of almost 40 years Ron Estroff and her family.

Debra was born in Wichita, Kansas to Shirley and Dave Bachus. A lifelong student and teacher, she earned advanced degrees from Wichita State University and her PhD in Psychology from the University of Kansas. Debra’s career included teaching, which was a lifelong passion, and conducting research at the medical schools of the University of Oklahoma, the University of Miami and UCLA, as well as at Fielding Graduate University. Particularly later in life she put much of her professional attention on mentoring women to have successful careers in the field of psychology. Much of her research focused on infant psychology and pediatric pain.

She is survived by her husband Ron, her children and their spouses, her five grandchildren, her brother and numerous nephews and nieces.

If you would like to celebrate Debra’s life, please make a donation to UCLA Mattel Children’s Hospital in her memory.

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