John Cornette

 John O. Cornette was born on April 24, 1929, and departed this life on December 17, 2024. He was raised on a farm in Lower Brushy Creek in Pike County. He attended Old Johns Creek High School and was a member of the Big Branch Old Regular Baptist Church on Brushy Creek. His chosen career was as a schoolteacher. His first job teaching was on an emergency teaching certificate at the age of nineteen at the Big Branch School on Brushy. His teaching career was interrupted by the Korean War where he served in the Army. After the Korean War, he finished his two-year teaching certificate at Pikeville College and trained at the Old Pikeville Academy. He met his wife, Sue England, while teaching at Paw Paw School. They were married for fifty-nine years until her passing in 2012. He later obtained his Bachelor’s degree from Pikeville College and his Master’s Degree from Eastern Kentucky University. During his career, he taught at one and two room schoolhouses in Pike and Floyd County, including the Brushy Big Branch School, Banyon School, McVeigh, and Paw Paw School. He also taught at John M. Stumbo Elementary in Floyd County and Kimper Elementary School in Pike County where he was named teacher of the year. He was the first teacher to be certified in special education at Eastern Kentucky University and served as a special education teacher at Kimper before becoming the Director of Special Education for Pike County.  After his retirement in 1993, he was active in the John’s Creek DAV, Chapter 166. He served as its treasurer and later its commander. He and its members attended hundreds of funerals honoring veterans.  He is survived by his four children, Reta Lane McKinney (Grand Blanc Michigan), Virginia Sue Jones (Louisville, Kentucky), Robin Cornette (Jim Penny – Midway, Kentucky) and Brian Cornette (Richmond, Kentucky). He is also survived by four grandchildren, Jeramy McKinney, Patrick McKinney, Kristin Childs and John Thomas Jones and two great-grandchildren, Ariana and Logan Childs. He is also survived by many nieces and nephews, including Cheryl Wiwi (Cincinnati), Carey Cornette (London) Blaine Cornette (Brushy Creek). and Norma Howarth (Tampa,Fl)   He was known by many for his generosity, his humor and kindness. 

    Visitation will be Saturday at 5p.m. at the Lucas & Son Funeral Home.  The funeral will be Sunday, Dec. 29, 2024 at 1:30 P.M. at the Lucas & Son Funeral Home   Burial will follow in the Taylor Cornette Cemetery at Brushy Creek.