Deidre Newberry was born July 21, 1945, in the city of Boston in Suffolk County to the parents of William Saxon and Catherine Thomas. Deidre also had a sister, Judith Saxon, who died in the 1980s.

Deidre was born in Boston but was raised in Philadelphia, PA. She attended Catholic Elementary School from Kindergarten to 8th grade at St. Elizabeth's Elementary. She then went to West Catholic High for Girls. She would later meet a young man named Lester Newberry Jr. Shortly after becoming pregnant in her teenage years, her education was briefly put on hold. She received her high school diploma a few years later.

She had her first child at 16 in 1961, Lester C. Newberry. In 1963, three months shy of her 18th birthday, she had her second son, Dwayne A. Newberry. Deidre married shortly after, but in 1967 the couple separated.

Deidre entered a program called OIC, which at the time was for young youth and young adults. She earned a certificate in clerical training as a typist and file clerk and was hired by the State of Pennsylvania Welfare Office, where she worked and eventually became a supervisor. She retired with 30 years of service in 2005.

She is survived by five grandchildren: Teree, Denzel, David, Dionna, and Tariq; a host of nieces and nephews, uncles and aunts, as well as cousins; two sisters-in-law, Brenda Andrews and Sandra McCrae; and her sister's children, Carla and Christopher King.

Deidre was a caring and loving mother. If she accepted you as a friend, she would go out of her way to make you feel that you were special. She enjoyed making meals for events she attended with others—everyone loved her potato salad. She had a loving smile and will be deeply missed.