Jeanette Amanda McKnight Henderson died peacefully while taking her mid-morning nap, on Friday, October 28, 2022. She was born May 20,1932 to the late Jefferson D. McKnight, Sr. and the late Lillian G. Wilkins McKnight (Wilson), in Dayton, Ohio as the first of 2 children (Jeff, Jr.) She attended Paul Laurence Dunbar High School where she met the love of her life, Russell L. Henderson.  They both graduated from Dunbar in 1950.  Upon graduation she was selected, along with 3 other young ladies (one from Dunbar and 2 from Roosevelt High School) to be the first African Americans to work at Ohio Bell as telephone operators. Russell moved to Kalamazoo, MI to continue his education at Western Michigan University on a track scholarship while Jeanette stayed in Dayton. Shortly afterwards Russell returned and they married on August 24, 1951. She joined her new husband in MI until he graduated and they both returned to Dayton. To this union, they were blessed with 4 children, Russell, Jr., Darrell, Teresa and Jeff.  

Jeanette continued to work full time at Ohio Bell while attending school part-time at Central State University.  After completing all of her coursework for a degree in elementary and middle school education minus one class (that class would not be offered again for another year) Jeanette chose to take the class at Miami University as a “mail-in” (now known as on-line) course.  Miami transferred all of her credits and she earned her BS degree from Miami University in the spring of 1965.  She began her teaching career as a kindergarten teacher with one special student in her class, her 5 year old daughter Teresa. Jeanette taught mostly 5th, 6th, and 7th grades during her 30+ years in the Dayton Public school system. She taught at Weaver, MacFarland, Fairview Middle and Wogoman Schools.  She also taught at Upward Bound at Central State University.  In 1974, with 1 year old Jeff in tow, she earned her Masters Degree from the University of Dayton.

Jeanette, being from very humble beginnings, simply loved helping people to become as great as God would have them to be. She loved her children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren, nieces, nephews and students all dearly and wanted them all to just do and be the best that they could.  She would help in any way she could. She always had words of encouragement and a smile on her face.

She was preceded in death by her parents, (Jeff, Sr. and Lillian), her brothers, Jeff McKnight, Jr., John (Donna) Wilson, and Dale Wilson and her first born, Russell Henderson, Jr.  She is survived by her brother, Walter (Carolyn) Wilson, Sr.; sister-in-love, Virginia (Ginny) Wilson; her step-sister Phyllis Bryant; her sons, Darrell Henderson, MD., Jeff (Mimi) Henderson and Brian L. Henderson; her daughter Teresa Henderson; her grandchildren, Jordan, Darra, Brian J. (Brianna), Brie (Tyson), Jream, Nina, Leslie, Elijah, Xavier and Samaria; her great-grandchildren Julius and D’Angelo; Special sister/cousin Roslyn Givens; good friends Freddye Pugh, Phyllis Lampkin, Betty Keith; and a host of nieces, nephews and former students.