Billie Jean Walden Cornett

Billie Jean passed on to her heavenly reward at 08:40 A.M on May 28, 2015, after a long illness with C.O.P.D lung disease that resulted in heart failure. She was in company with her cousin Ralph Brown and beloved ‘sister’ Cynthia Brown, caregivers, nurses and doctors from St. Joseph Hospice, Baton Rouge, Louisiana.

“BJ, called by her only sibling brother, Alex, as ‘little sister’ was a proud American Texan born March 1, 1934 in Longview, Texas.

Billie Jean was preceded in death by her most dear brother, Alex Cornett, Jr. , her mother Ruth Dalton, father Alex Sr., husband James D., She is survived by cousin Ralph and his wife Cindy Brown , her nephew David Brown, in-law Betty J. Cornett and special friends Gloria Ricate and Rubi Summers. Many who knew her were friends as well.

Billie Jean graduated from the University of Houston class of ’58 with a B.S in Education. She taught at Eliot Elementary, HISD, for 38 years. Generating hundreds of students and good citizens in Denver Harbor, Dist. 6, Harris Co. Houston, Tx. She dearly loved all of them. She also spent some years in the Middle East teaching U.S. military children.

Billie Jean, like a beauty queen from a movie scene, traveled extensively whenever time allowed and did stints in the modeling/movie/entertainment industry. In her youth, she modeled for the likes of Sakowitz, and was known to the songwriter who penned the original song, ‘Billie Jean’ after hearing that she did not like her boyish name. Rights to the song were ultimately purchased by the Jackson Family patriarch who edited & choreographed it for his son, Michael.The rest is history.

Billie Jean is interned in the Forest Lawn Cemetery Cornett Family Plot, Houston, Tx.

With Love for God and all whom she knew, she says, “Thank You and I Love You”