Ronald Bernard Henderson III “Butta” was born on August 14, 1981 in Washington, DC and raised in Bethesda, MD to the late Ronald B. Henderson Sr. and Katie Gilliam. His life was cut short on January 24, 2023 at 9:15 a.m. at the Wellstar Paulding Medical Center, Dallas, Georgia. He attended Bethesda Chevy Chase High School, Bethesda, MD.
Ronald began working at a young age, when he was just 17, he worked with Rob Ramoy & Associates Realty Company in Bethesda, MD wearing the Easter Bunny outfit to greet the prospective property buyers. Ronald graduated from Charleston Fire Department Fire/Rescue Academy with Honorable Certifications and served as a member of the Charleston South Carolina Fire Department. He took the Fire/Rescue/ Hazmat training and graduated with honorable certifications. He was also in the electrical union, plumbing, and most recently a CDL driver and Dump Truck company owner of 5th Ward Trucking Company. He also owned Henderson Trucking LLC.
Ronald loved seafood and anything he could cook on the smoker. His favorite junk food was chocolate chip cookies. Ronald enjoyed spending quality time with his wife Arlene and 7 children. He fulfilled one of his dreams when he and his family moved to Littleton, Colorado. For years, he raised grass-fed chickens and turkeys and shared fresh farm eggs with his neighbors. He also stood out in the neighborhood and won a challenge with a neighbor for having the best-groomed lawn. His family were very special to him. He took several cross-country trips with his family exploring nature and states upcoming developments. Ronald enjoyed movie nights with the kids and settling them down at night. He would assist his wife with sending five of the seven off to school and prepare a hot breakfast for his wife and Ashe’. He enjoyed his morning coffee while sitting on his wrapped deck, looking over the land watching their Cane Coroso-Italian Mastiffs running on the property.
Ronald recently moved to Dallas, Georgia where he started a business breeding Cane Coroso-Italian Mastiffs. Ronald, his wife, and kids had a passion for animals and enjoyed their Ball Python, four Cane Coroso-Italian Mastiffs, two talking parrots and their saltwater fish. Ronald had a passion for football and loved his Washington Commanders. He encouraged two of his sons to play on their school team where he and his wife served as members of the team. Mom and Dad worked the concession stands and monitored the movement and safety for all team members and their families attending the games and team practices.
He (5th Ward Butta) was also a rapper and video producer in the DC Area. His main passion was music and entertainment. He is survived by his wife, Arlene A. Henderson, his seven children: Kalhille, Aja, Raheem, Ronald IV, Irae, Heru, and Ashe’ Henderson; four siblings: Ronald, Kateema, Tyona and Cheo Henderson and his mother, Katie Gilliam, his father-in-law, Jeffery Cobb; aunts and uncles; a host of nieces, nephews, cousins and special family & friends: Tony Gilliam, Scott Parson, Mike Burd, Tarek & Rita Mahmound, Nexlevel Barbershop & Staff, Hiram, Georgia. He was preceded in death by his father, Ronald B. Henderson Sr, his brother – Ornell Irae Gilliam, grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins, and mother-in-law.
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