Tampa City Council member Gwen Henderson dies at 60
Gwendolyn Henderson, a Tampa City Council member, has died, a council member confirmed with the Tampa Bay Times. She was 60 years old.
Henderson went to Florida A&M University for her bachelor's degree in education. She went on to receive a master's of education and an education specialist degree from Saint Leo University.
She was the chairperson of the city's Community Redevelopment Agency board and was a board director on the Hillsborough Area Regional Transit Authority.
Council member Luis Viera said Tampa administrators notified him and other council members of Henderson's death. He didn't have information on the cause of death.
'Gwen had a passion for Black History - from 1619 to today. If you wanted to see the beauty of Gwen's heart, you should stop by her dream realized - her Black English bookstore,' Viera wrote in a text message to the Times. 'That bookstore was about the pride she had in the journey of her family and families like hers. It showed a beautiful heart. Gwen's life and values were intertwined in the journey of Black Tampenos.'
Council member Lynn Hurtak said in a statement she was shocked and saddened to hear the news of Henderson's death this morning. Hurtak said Henderson, similar to herself, was a neighborhood advocate.
'She dubbed me 'Fifteen,' and I in turn called her 'Sixteen' in reference to our places in the sequence of the very few women to ever serve on city council,' Hurtak wrote. 'I deeply regret that I will no longer be able to enjoy her laughter, infectious spirit, and boundless energy as we continue our work to build a Tampa that works for everyone.'
This is a breaking news story and will be updated. Check back at tampabay.com.
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