A 85-year-old resident of Burlington, Massachusetts, died peacefully on Saturday morning, May 16, 2026, surrounded by her family. Margaret Henderson was born on March 31, 1941, in Leland, Mississippi, as Margaret McCuller.
She moved with her family to St. Louis at a young age. She later relocated to the Boston area with her husband, Milton Henderson, seeking better educational and career opportunities. Her husband died in 1973, and she never remarried, devoting herself fully to raising their two children, Loretta and David.
Henderson displayed exceptional drive and intellect from an early age, skipping two grades in school and excelling in all subjects. She was the first in her family to graduate from college, earning her Registered Nurse degree.
She later obtained a Master’s degree from Columbia University. She built an impressive career in the VA Health System that spanned more than forty years. She began as a nurse and steadily advanced through the ranks, eventually retiring as Associate Chief Nurse at the Bedford VA Hospital.
As a single mother, Henderson worked tirelessly to provide for her family while maintaining high expectations and unconditional love. She taught her children the importance of education, hard work, discipline, and responsibility through her daily example.
Her son David was inspired by her drive to pursue his M.D. in Psychiatry. She shared a particularly close bond with her daughter Loretta, who served as her primary caregiver and confidant in later years.
Beyond her professional life, Henderson found joy in simple pleasures such as listening to the blues, dancing, spending summers in Onset, Massachusetts, and wearing her signature red. She volunteered with the Red Cross, served on the ministry team at First Baptist Church in Bedford, and co-founded the New England Genealogical Society. She also proudly marched with Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. during the Civil Rights Movement.
Henderson cherished her role as a grandmother to Isabella and Miles. She woke early to help them prepare for school and ensured she was there when they returned home. Her love was constant, steady, and deeply felt by all her family. No funeral arrangements have been publicly announced. The family has requested privacy as they mourn.
Henderson was 85 years old. She was a nurse, a VA Health System executive, a Columbia University graduate, and a Civil Rights marcher. Those are the details her loved ones are sharing as they mourn. Anyone wishing to honor her memory may reach out to the family through First Baptist Church in Bedford. Her legacy of strength and compassion continues to inspire all who knew her. No additional information has been released.
