Deahdra M Butler Henderson

Deahdra M. Butler Henderson, the eldest daughter of the late Geraldine C. (Hill) and Hubert L.. Butler, passed into Eternal Life on Saturday, October 21, 2023. God blessed this Earth with her birth on February 25, 1951. Her Spirit Guides and Protectors, daughter Kai Nicole, sister Dawn Marie, son James Knight, friend Celestine Parham, Godfather Jorge Fandino and other loved ones welcome her as she enters the next phase of her spiritual journey. Deahdra's life was an expression of love, peace and gratitude that was enlightened with a deep spiritual relationship with God. Above all else, Deahdra was devoted to her family. trends and community. Her laughter was frequent and infectious. It never mattered what was going on, whenever Deahdra flashed her gorgeous, magical smile, everyone in her presence felt warmth and happiness.

Deahdra was an amazing single mother of Rashida and Soraya and adoptive mother of James. When she married Cid Henderson she added two more children to her fold. Cedric and Kai. all of whom she loved with her entire being.

Deahdra took a very bold stand in her life's work as a warrior for social justice and equality when she campaigned to become the first African-American mayor of Boston in 1975 with the slogan "Who Is Deahdra Butler?" About that time she also worked as Educational Liaison for WINNERS, Inc (Women's Inner-City Educational Resource Services). She attended Emerson College and upon completion of her Master's Degree from Cambridge College she went on to work at Roxbury Community College as an advocate for seniors to pursue higher education. Continuing her work as a community activist she joined work with Haymarket People's Fund, Peace Watch Ireland, Crossing Communities Collaboratives and worked tirelessly to raise funds to restore the Mishkan T'filah in Roxbury with the hope of creating an arts center to unite the community.

Her crowning achievement was the amazing nine years she spent as director of Chahara Foundation, endowed by her dear friend Karen Pittleman. Chahara served as "a spoke in the wheel for true social justice" and raised up the voices and acknowledged the efforts of a wide range of organizations and movements empowering women and girls who have known poverty and deserved an opportunity to "persist in their quest for equity and fairness

Deahdra's spiritual energy will live on in the hearts of her children and their spouses, Soraya Schuppert (Butler), Geoff Schuppert, Rashida Santos (Butler), Kenneth Santos and Cedric Crowe, and her siblings, Hubert Butler III, Lance Butler, Lavette Sealls (Butler) and Gerald Butler, as well as her dearest family friends Lesola Morgan, Alfonso Herranz, Aparna Sindhoor, Goddaughter Jasmine Parham, and also new special friends in her life, Kimberly Williams and Ted Brady. Deahdra leaves behind in Sorrow her Grandchildren who meant the world to her: Aric Crowe, Brooklyn Crowe, Chelsea Crowe, Aaliyah Pierson, Keira Pierson and Jonas Pierson. Deahdra leaves countless friends
and family behind, grieving for their loss, but celebrating God's gain

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