Elizabeth M. Henderson

Elizabeth M. Henderson

Elizabeth M. Henderson, 89, passed away unexpectedly on Thursday, September 10, 2026. The daughter of the late Albert and Margaret (MacTaggart) Henderson, and sister of the late Lionel Henderson, Elizabeth was born in Buffalo, NY in August 1937, spending the majority of her life within the city and the surrounding areas. Graduating from UB in 1968, she was the first in her family to receive a college degree, leading to a thirty-year career as an English teacher with Buffalo Public Schools at Fosdick-Masten and Buffalo Alternative. In the summer of 1976 she became the first Buffalonian and single woman to adopt a foreign child, traveling weeks later to Washington DC to take part in the ERA march, epitomizing her lifelong position as a social pioneer. Her inability to judge, her everlasting generosity, and her dedication and sacrifice for others define her life. This very dedication provided excellent, love-filled upbringings spanning two generations, making sure she was able to provide opportunities she was unable to experience as a child and young adult. From humble beginnings, to becoming single-handedly accomplished and universally loved, her life was a life well-lived, and a tough benchmark that one can only hope to match. Elizabeth will be missed greatly, forever revered, and forever loved. She is survived by her daughter, Karla, and grandson, Joshua.