Clarence Henderson was born July 3, 1934, in Foreman, Arkansas to Major and Gertha Mae Henderson. He was the eldest of 3 siblings Berdie Williamson (deceased) and Andrew Henderson. Parents, grandparents, wife Alice P. Henderson, and a host of aunts, uncles and family have preceded him in death.
Clarence graduated from Sumner High School in 1954. During High school he was active in sports playing basketball, football and track known as "lightning". He received a scholarship to Kansas City KS Community college and received a scholarship to Texas Southern University to play football but was drafted into the army in 1957-1959 during the Korean War. He married his high school sweetheart Alice P. Fitzpatrick on November 7, 1956; He worked on the railroad before securing employment with General Motors in 1962. He was the first black man to enter into the Foreman program and retired after 35 years of service in October of 1977. Clarence was a member of the UAW and instrumental in meeting with Union members and joined with community advocates such as Jim Brown of the NFL and Bob Water local attorney in the Kansas City area. Together they advocated for better pay and benefits for union members.
Returning to his association with athletics Clarence played semi-pro baseball, and coached summer sports for underserved communities, as well as coached basketball, baseball and football within the school district. He later began a career as a basketball referee for middle school and Jr. College schools. Clarence was the president of the McKelvy Family Reunion and president of his 1954 Sumner High School Class Reunion. Clarence was recently featured in Volume II “Veterans of America” Magazine in November 2022, where his life story was told.
Clarence was married to Alice for 56 years before she passed in January of 2013. Clarence is survived by his three children Lynda Henderson of Houston, TX, Anthony Henderson of Olathe, KS. Vincent Henderson, his wife Denise Henderson, and their daughters Alexandra and Victoria Henderson of Dallas, Texas. His aunt Ella Mae Canady of KCKS. His brother Andrew and his wife Nydia Henderson of New York, his niece Eryka Henderson and her children Bella and Dolphan of New York, his nephew Rodney and wife Pam Henderson of Atlanta, Georgia and their children Devin and Sidney Henderson, his niece Cynthia and her husband Roosevelt Green of KCMO, her daughter Tameka Williamson of Atlanta Georgia, and nephew Darryl Williamson of KCMO and his children Chris, Khameiah, Delton, and Bianca, a close family relative he called "nephew" Delbert Selectman, and a host of family and friends.
Our father Clarence Henderson was active with his family and the community; he lived a full life and will be truly missed.
A funeral service for Clarence will be at 11:00 am, Saturday, November 26, 2022 at Chapel Hill-Butler Funeral Home, 701 N. 94th St., Kansas City, KS 66112. Visitation will begin at 9:00 am, also at the funeral home. A graveside service will be immediately following the funeral at Mt. Calvary Catholic Cemetery, 1150 N. 38th St., Kansas City, KS 66102. Fond memories and condolences for the family may be left at www.chapelhill-butler.com
