Billie Jean Johnson, 90, died at her residence on June 1, 2006.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Ernest Johnson; her parents, Oda and Oscar Johnson; a niece, Mary Lou Patton; and a nephew, Brian Cole.

She is survived by two sisters, Clara N. Cole of West Memphis and Frances J. Patton of Marked Tree; one nephew, Alan Cole of West Memphis; three nieces, Susan Brewington of Marked Tree, Linda Tantillo of Platte City, Mo., and Jane Delzer of Missoula, Mont.; one great nephew, three great nieces and five great-great nieces.

Johnson graduated from the UT School of Nursing as a Registered Nurse in 1939 and was supervisor of pediatrics at John Gaston Hospital. She completed post-graduate work at Cook County Hospital in Chicago and later she was a home health nurse in Crittenden County.

She learned cake decoration under Wilton in Chicago and completed floral art training in Pasadena, Calif. She owned and operated a bakery and flower shop in West Memphis using these skills. Upon retirement, she became a real estate investor and remained active in the community.

She was a member of the First United Methodist Church of West Memphis, the West Side Home Makers Extension Club, the Tennessee Iris Society, the Crittenden County Historical Society, the West Tennessee Property Managers Association and the Memphis and National Chapters of the Auxiliary United Spanish War Veterans.

The family request that memorials are sent to St. Jude Children's Research Hospital. Services were held Monday, June 5 at Forest Hill with interment following.