Sade Robinson remembered as a 'kind soul' at memorial service in Milwaukee

Drake Bentley, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
Updated ·6 min read

On the day that Sade Robinson would have turned 20 years old, she was eulogized at a public memorial Friday, remembered as a "remarkable" young woman who touched many different parts of the community.

The criminal justice student at Milwaukee Area Technical College was set to graduate next weekend. That milestone moment for her family won't happen after she was murdered and dismembered following a first date.

Her early April death shook Milwaukee and other parts of the country.

Prosecutors say 33-year-old Maxwell Anderson is responsible for her gruesome death. After a short night out, the local bartender and Robinson went back to his house where he killed her, dismembered her body and disposed of the body parts across Milwaukee County, according to prosecutors. He pleaded not guilty to the charges and remains in custody on $5 million bail. The next hearing is scheduled for May 16.

Carlos Robinson, left, father of Sade Robinson, and Sheena Scarbrough, right, mother of Sade Robinson, speak about their memories with with their daughter at the public memorial service Friday at the Baird Center in Milwaukee.
Carlos Robinson, left, father of Sade Robinson, and Sheena Scarbrough, right, mother of Sade Robinson, speak about their memories with with their daughter at the public memorial service Friday at the Baird Center in Milwaukee.

At Friday's memorial service at the Baird Center in downtown Milwaukee, emotions for family and friends were still very raw as the investigation continues and searches help find the rest of her body.

Carlos Robinson, Sade's father, lives in Florida and recently returned to Milwaukee to help search for Sade. "On May 10th, 2004, I was in college taking my final exams and my phone rings," he said. "It was (someone) calling me, telling me that Sheena (Sade's mother) had just went into labor."

Robinson said he rushed out of class, hopped in his car, and probably traveled at least a "hundred miles an hour" along the interstate to a Vicksburg, Mississippi, hospital, so that he could witness the birth of his first daughter.

Sade entering the world "gave my life purpose," Carlos Robinson said. "I watched her grow from a tiny little baby to a beautiful, intelligent young lady that would make any father proud."

The attendees, speakers and performers at Friday's memorial displayed the gravity of Sade's reach on the Milwaukee community. Lifelong friends, classmates, professors, area pastors, activists and her employers and coworkers were all in attendance.

No elected officials gave speeches, but Mayor Cavalier Johnson had a brief conversation with Sheena Scarbrough, Sade's mother. Other statements were read or staffers spoke for a few officials, including U.S. Rep. Gwen Moore and state Rep. Shelia Stubbs.

Milwaukee Mayor Cavalier Johnson, left, speaks with Sheena Scarbrough, right, mother of Sade Robinson, as she arrives to a public memorial service for her daughter Friday at the Baird Center in Milwaukee.
Milwaukee Mayor Cavalier Johnson, left, speaks with Sheena Scarbrough, right, mother of Sade Robinson, as she arrives to a public memorial service for her daughter Friday at the Baird Center in Milwaukee.

"Please know that my thoughts and prayers are with you during this incredibly difficult time," Moore said in her statement. "The individual responsible for this heinous act will be held accountable, and Sade's memory will be heard through the pursuit of justice."

Erika Brown, a friend of Scarbrough, provided the statement for Moore. She reiterated that a nonprofit is forming on behalf of Scarbrough, titled Sade's Voice Foundation, which will aim to support families of missing Black and brown women and raise awareness about their stories.

Sade Robinson was an achiever from a young age

A photo of Sade Robinson is seen at a memorial April 19 at Pizza Shuttle, where friends and family, along with other community members, left various items, such as a poster, flowers and stuffed animals. Sade Robinson worked at Pizza Shuttle on Milwaukee's east side for three years.
A photo of Sade Robinson is seen at a memorial April 19 at Pizza Shuttle, where friends and family, along with other community members, left various items, such as a poster, flowers and stuffed animals. Sade Robinson worked at Pizza Shuttle on Milwaukee's east side for three years.

Sade moved with her family to Milwaukee at the age of 2. She was a curious kid and always wanted to explore, according to her mother. She enrolled in Milwaukee Public Schools and enjoyed Girl Scouts and soccer.

Sade was a talented dancer, Scarbrough said. Her passion for the arts only intensified as she found joy in rapping, performing, and even dabbled in ballroom dance. In middle school, she was part of Junior Reserve Officers' Training Corps or JROTC. Her mother said she once had dreams of joining the U.S. Air Force.

Soon she was a teenager attending Riverside High School on Milwaukee's east side, near the Riverwest neighborhood. She excelled academically and socially, Scarbrough said. Sade graduated a semester early from Riverside in December 2021. She walked the graduation stage with the class of 2022.

After high school, Sade enrolled at MATC to pursue a degree in criminal justice and began working the two jobs while renting an apartment. She recently considered continuing her studies at Concordia University in Mequon.

Carlos Robinson, left, father of Sade Robinson, and Sheena Scarbrough, mother of Sade Robinson, speak about their memories of their daughter at a public memorial service Friday at the Baird Center in Milwaukee.
Carlos Robinson, left, father of Sade Robinson, and Sheena Scarbrough, mother of Sade Robinson, speak about their memories of their daughter at a public memorial service Friday at the Baird Center in Milwaukee.

Sade Robinson impacted many lives

Sade's father said he appreciated the outpouring of support for the family since she was reported missing on April 2. "I see all the lives my baby girl has touched in the past 21 years," Carlos Robinson said. "I say 21 because (Sade) used to talk to me when (her mom) was pregnant in my dreams."

Lifelong friends also spoke about Sade.

"Sade Carleena Robinson — she was the most beautiful girl in the world," said Kara Quinnell, who met Sade in kindergarten. "Her laugh was contagious. … She was confident in the best way possible. … She was unstoppable and not in an arrogant way."

"She would have been an amazing mother because she was best big sister to Adrianna," Quinnell said.

A poster of Sade Robinson and a dove in her honor are seen at the public memorial service Friday at the Baird Center in Milwaukee.
A poster of Sade Robinson and a dove in her honor are seen at the public memorial service Friday at the Baird Center in Milwaukee.

Another friend, Alana Fisher, said Sade wanted to attend the Nicki Minaj concert at Fiserv Forum, which took place about two weeks after Sade went missing. "Right now, she should have been partying for her birthday," Fisher said. "She was just getting ready to plan for her birthday party."

"I hope she is not just remembered for her death but for her amazing and strong life she lived as well," Fisher added. "She was a kind soul, (an) independent woman."

Sade worked at Pizza Shuttle on Milwaukee's east side and The Wisconsin Country Club on Milwaukee's northwest side.

"We were extremely lucky to have Sade as a part of our family," her boss at the country club said at Friday's vigil. "And as you can see, we are a family." A contingent of about 25 employees at the country club were at the memorial service. Sade's younger sister, Adrianna Reams, also worked at the country club.

Adrianna Reams, sister of Sade Robinson, speaks about her memories with her sister at the public memorial service Friday at the Baird Center in Milwaukee.
Adrianna Reams, sister of Sade Robinson, speaks about her memories with her sister at the public memorial service Friday at the Baird Center in Milwaukee.

Employees at the country club describe Sade as having a smile that was almost like a "superpower." Another coworker described her as a strong person who had wisdom and was far beyond her years. "She was a special person," the coworker said.

Sade earned most of what she had on her own, Reams said. She did this by working, balancing hours at the country club and hours at Pizza Shuttle, an east side staple.

Quincy Alexander, an east side legend who suffers from disabilities that make walking difficult but still trudges the area along Brady Street anyway, said Sade would help him up the flights of stairs at the entrance to Pizza Shuttle, where the two worked together.

Winston Milhans, another coworker at Pizza Shuttle, said Sade was that burst of energy that coworkers often give each other to help motivate them. Milhans said Sade was a "person that is a perfect example of who you want to be like. Her traits were remarkable."

Sheena Scarbrough, center from left, mother of Sade Robinson; Carlos Robinson, father of Sade Robinson; and Adrianna Reams, sister of Sade Robinson, release doves in memory of Sade Robinson at her public memorial service Friday at the Baird Center in Milwaukee.
Sheena Scarbrough, center from left, mother of Sade Robinson; Carlos Robinson, father of Sade Robinson; and Adrianna Reams, sister of Sade Robinson, release doves in memory of Sade Robinson at her public memorial service Friday at the Baird Center in Milwaukee.

A dove release was held after Friday's memorial service. A private ceremony began at 8:30 p.m. Friday.

Fiserv Forum and Deer District were lit pink Friday evening. Milwaukee businesses, restaurants and organizations are encouraged to display pink to honor Sade Robinson — a caring soul many in Milwaukee will never forget.

Drake Bentley can be reached at DBentley1@gannett.com or 414-391-5647.

This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Sade Robinson memorial held in Milwaukee amid homicide investigation