It is with great sadness we share the news about the loss of one of our Board of Trustees members and JCJC alumnus, Billy Burnette. We send our condolences to the Burnette family. Below is the story about our friend written by Sports Information Director, Shawn Wansley.
JCJC family mourns loss of Billy Burnette
The entire Jones County Junior College family is mourning the loss of board member Billy Burnette. The 69 year-old died of a heart attack on Tuesday. Burnette, who attended school at Jones from 1962-63, had been a member of the school's Board of Trustees since 2007. He was retired from Farm B
ureau Insurance.
"Mr. Burnette was an advocate for JCJC and was a very strong supporter of the employees of the college," school president Dr. Jesse Smith said. "He was very diligent in his duties as a board member and he was very active in the establishment of the JCJC Athletic Hall of Fame. He made friends very easily and those friends became friends for life. His leadership will certainly be missed." 
Burnett was a standout athlete at Shady Grove High School before coming to JCJC. He played on the 1962 football team under Sim Cooley and the 1962-63 basketball team under A.B. Howard. He was a star halfback and kicker for the football team and was one of the top scorers in basketball.
"He was one of the better athletes on our team," said Parker Dykes, who played football with Burnette and later became the head coach. "He came to Jones and fit in real well with us. He was a good guy and a great athlete. He was well-established in the community, he worked hard at Farm Bureau and was a very successful man. He had the commitment, character and dedication that Coach Cooley tried to instill in all of us."
Visitation will be from 9 a.m. until 11:30 am with the funeral beginning at 11:30 a.m. on Friday at Trinity Baptist Church in Shady Grove with burial to follow in Shady Grove Cemetery. Rev. Robert Scruggs and Rev. James Johnson Hill will officiate.
He was preceded in death by his parents, J.H. Burnette and Pauline Chandler Burnette, and one sister, Clara Burnette. Survivors include his wife, Judith Holifield Burnette of Laurel; son, Russ Burnette and wife Mandi of Laurel; two daughters, Dena Moore of Laurel and Joelie Fisher and husband Stan of Brandon; nine grandchildren, Tyler Moore, Garrett Moore, Braxton Moore, Chandler Moore, Alexandra Burnette, Rylee Burnette, Chase O'Brian, Eli Fisher and Wyatt Fisher, and sister, Betty Laurendine of Greenwell Springs, La.
Pallbearers will be Tyler Moore, Garrett Moore, Braxton Moore, Kip Simpson, Joey Ward and Robby Scruggs. Honorary pallbearers will be the trustees of Jones County Junior College and the employees of Farm Bureau.
In lieu of flowers, the family respectfully requests that memorials be made to the ministry of Agape Church or the Building Fund of Trinity Baptist Church.
Visitation will be held from 9 a.m. until the time of service on Friday at Memory Chapel, which is in charge of arrangements.
