Dedra Elaine Geran

Dedra Elaine Geran was born and raised in Las Vegas, Nevada to the parents of Johnus Geran and Hazel Wilburn. While attending Bishop Gorman High School, in addition to her Precisionaire performances at the games, she had a short stint in politics. In 1969, she was appointed as a delegate for the State of Nevada at the Republican National Convention, a position that earned her historical recognition as the first Black to be seated on the platform, and an accomplishment that would later catch the attention of Jet magazine. She attended Arizona State University to pursue a degree in social studies, and in 1975, was initiated into the Iota Kappa Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc., a decision she would always cherish. She received a bachelor’s degree at ASU, and a few years later, she received a master’s degree in her field from the University of Phoenix.

After a few years of living in Phoenix, she relocated to Inglewood, California, where she worked in administration for Imperial Bank. And because she lived a few blocks from the Kia Forum (aka The Forum) she became a die-hard Lakers fan. She enjoyed the social clubs, the night life, and the live concerts in Southern California to the fullest, but after ten years, she decided to return home to Las Vegas. Dedra worked as a contract administrator for Nevada Power. She became actively involved with the Las Vegas Alumnae Chapter Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc., St. James the Apostle Roman Catholic Church, the Red Hat Society, Clark County School District, Raider Nation, and the Western Region of the National Brotherhood of Snowsports. As a member of NBS since 2009, she would later serve as the secretary and then as the membership chair, a position she continued to perform even after her health started to decline.  

Dedra was preceded in death by her parents, Johnus and Hazel, and brothers, Frederick and Franklyn. She leaves behind her brother John and sister Trish, goddaughter Brittany and her three children, a host of relatives whom she enjoyed as much as she could especially during the holidays, and some of the truest friends one could ever imagine. She would always gain a sense of pride when recalling stories about her long-time friends: Lionel Hollins, her “cousin” and his loving family, and her ASU “sisters” of 50 plus years, Sandra, Ella, Pat, Barbara, Terry, and Verdella. They proved to be faithful until the end. The one wish she had for them was to continue fulfilling their lives with the belief that a “journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.”