With heavy hearts, we announce the passing of Cassandra Verdell Butts, a beloved sister, actress, and artist, who departed this world on January 13, 2025, in Los Angeles, California, due to atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease. Born on April 27, 1946, in St. Petersburg, Florida, Cassandra lived a life filled with creativity, elegance, and passion.
From a young age, Cassandra had an innate appreciation for the arts and self-expression. Whether through visual creativity, fashion, or performance, she embraced life with authenticity and grace. Her pursuit of knowledge and artistic excellence led her to Middleton Sr. High School in Tampa, Florida, where she graduated with distinction, and later to Macalester College in St. Paul, Minnesota, where she earned a Bachelor’s degree in Art.
Cassandra's love for art, fashion, and acting was more than a passion—it was her way of connecting with the world. She pursued a career in acting, dedicating herself to her craft with the same devotion she showed in every aspect of her life. Those who knew her admired her elegance, creativity, and the way she carried herself with confidence and poise.
Beyond her professional and artistic endeavors, Cassandra was deeply devoted to her family. She shared a close bond with her sisters, Eunice M. Butts, Ceroasetta L. Simba (Malik), Gloria G. McCray, Geneva Davison, and Edith Jackson Hopkins, and her brother, Tommy L. Butts (Janice). As a young adult, she was vibrant: a source of strength, wisdom, and love, always uplifting those around her. While her presence will be dearly missed, her spirit will live on in the cherished memories of those of us who knew and loved her.
She was preceded in death by her parents, Tommie Butts and Martha Mae Kinchen Butts, and her youngest brother, Michael Elliot Butts, Sr.
A memorial service will be held the week of July 20, 2025, in Tampa, Florida. A specific date for the service and further details will be announced at a later date.
To honor Cassandra’s memory, donations may be made to:
Christian Community Baptist Church of Fresno or Diabetes Research Institute.
Though our hearts are heavy with loss, we find solace in the beauty of the life Cassandra lived. Her passion, kindness, and unwavering spirit will forever be remembered, and her legacy will continue to inspire those whose lives she touched.
