Friday, February 6, 2015 was the day that B. Jean Carrithers Cornett passed away. In addition to being the matriarch of the Cornett family, she was well-known across the country for her contributions to the Festival of the Bluegrass, which she and her husband Bob established over four decades ago.
She had reached the age of 86. Jean was not just a feminist ahead of her time, but she was also kind, brilliant, insightful, creative, and very tough. Girls were taught to be courageous, and males were taught to be nice. Even when she didn’t feel like laughing very much, she provided joy and enjoyment to the world via her music and laughter.
Jean’s birthday is January 14th, 1929, and she was born in Troy, North Carolina. In order to attend boarding school and college, she relocated to Berea, Kentucky. It was in this location that she connected with Bob Cornett, who would later become her husband and a fellow dreamer. In January of 1951, they tied the knot, and over the course of the subsequent twenty years, they were blessed with six sons: Roy, Robert, Hugh, John, James, and Charles and Charles.
A number of her actions, including but not limited to the establishment of the Great Crossing Water District and the development of some of the most aesthetically pleasing neighbourhoods in the county, contributed to the improvement of people’s lives.
Jean’s business spirit led her to Suwannee County, Florida, in 1985, where she and Bob built the Spirit of the Suwannee Music Park by purchasing a place that had previously been a county park. Through the process of honing her skills in architecture, stained glass, and woodworking, Jean found that The Park became a location where she could find happiness.
Similarly, she established a community of people who shared her passion for the outdoors, music, and one another in this particular setting. However, Jean’s family, which included nearly fifty children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren, was the thing that brought her the most joy and pride.
Grandma never failed to make time for her children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren, whether it was through the preparation of blueberry muffins or the recounting of tales from her sons’ younger years when they frequently got into mischief. It was she who served as their ally, inspiration, and role model.
