Denise Stevens

*"How can you enjoy anything when you're on your guard all the time?" - Denise Florence Stevens*

## Appearances

### Debut

Benson - "Sit-In"

**Denise Florence Stevens-Downey** (played by Didi Conn) was the secretary of Benson DuBois from Seasons 3-5 and was one of the main characters on the ABC sitcom, *Benson*.

## About Denise

### Early Life

Growing up, Denise Stevens always had an interest in space and wanted to work in a field related to such. After attending, and graduating from, Piscataway High School, Denise would attend Graduate School in order to further her space career, while also being dual enrolled in business school; graduating with a degree in Honors.

Following school, Denise would spend a year on Wall Street before moving states with her mother and father. In her new home state, she would earn a position at The Capitol in the legislature's secretarial pool. Denise would move up in assisting the head of the department following 2 years in the accounting pool.

### Position at the Governor's Mansion/Marriage

After quitting her job at the Capitol, Denise began working as a secretary for the newly elected state budget director, Benson DuBois at the Governor's Mansion.

In this position she would meet her soon to be husband, Pete Downey. Denise and Pete got married in 1983 after two years of dating and had a son, named Pete Jr., the following year. In 1984, Denise would be offered a job at NASA's space shuttle program in Houston, Texas. Denise temporarily assisted the newly elected Lieutenant Governor, Benson DuBois, before quitting her job at the mansion with her husband, Pete.

## Relationships

### Pete

Denise and Pete were co-workers at the mansion. While Denise, originally, wasn't too available for Pete's often advances, the two eventually became close friends and hit it off in a romantic relationship. Denise, while not fond of Pete's irresponsibility and sometimes childish behavior, fell in love with Pete; becoming his wife in 1983.

### Benson

As her boss, Benson got along with Denise more often than not. Since Benson was the state budget director Denise would frequently assist Benson in accurately calculating facts and figures. In the worst of times, Denise may have gotten slightly offended by Benson's over the top sarcasm in times of stress.

Prior to leaving the mansion, Denise and Benson maintained a trusting friendship, as well as a compatible working relationship.

### Governor

Denise and the Governor had a close friendship. Like most people in the mansion, the two bonded off of a relationship with his daughter, Katie. The Governor even chose Denise to help pick out a gift for his Katie's birthday. She also seemed to be the only one who can stand the Governor's stories and some of his scattered thinking patterns, as Denise holds a similar ray of ditzy behavior.

### Others

Denise was an appreciated member of the staff by the others at the mansion. She would spend quality time with Katie and Gretchen Kraus while occasionally getting into a disagreement with Clayton Endicott.

## Trivia

* She can read upside down and considers it a hobby.
* She owns a cocker spaniel.
* Denise states that she graduated from Piscataway High School. Piscataway is a township in Middlesex County, New Jersey, United States. Within the township is a high school named Piscataway High, respectively. The school opened in 1957.
* She took a Kung-Fu Class
* Denise can play drums and always thought about becoming a rock and roll drummer.
* She believes in UFO's, along with the Governor and Kraus. She states that UFO's often look like cigars.

## Quotes

* "I know most people watch what they say, but the truth is, they're afraid to let you know what they're thinking, what they're feeling."
* "How can you enjoy anything when you're on your guard all the time?"
* "Math is just a language that helps you understand the abstract concepts of the universe."