Billie Jean Gaines' Obituary
Billie Jean Gaines was born in San Leandro, California on July 5, 1973 to Leonard Gaines, Jr. (Billy) and Hattie Mae Ashford Gaines. She was raised on 100th Avenue in East Oakland. In her youth she attended schools throughout Oakland where made lifelong friendships. She spent many summers at the San Leandro Girls Club. All her life family and friends called her by her first and middle names, Billie Jean. When a certain pop star recorded a mega hit titled ‘Billie Jean’, she had mixed emotions. So as her friends, peers, and even new acquaintances began teasing her by singing the song and trying to do the dance moves she’d had enough and so she adopted the moniker “BJ”. In 1989, BJ moved to Hayward, California with her mom and graduated from Brenkwitz High School. During her late teens and early twenties, she worked at Wilson’s Suede and Leather and spent several years working for Great Western Bank where she established a great work ethic. From the first time BJ got a job she always kept a job! In September 2001 she had the opportunity to join Kaiser Permanente’s Human Resources Service Center – Work Absence Management (WAM) Team. While the responsibilities and nature of the position were challenging for BJ, she not only persevered she also excelled! At the time of her passing she had attained Specialist III rank and had 17 and a-half years of service with to Kaiser Permanente’s HRSC! She took pride in her work. During the mid-1990s BJ reconnected with a friend from childhood whom she’d known during her years at E. Morris Cox Elementary School, Dereke LaJuan Toliver. The two quickly hit it off and a romance began. On April 8, 1998 they welcomed their daughter, Deja LaQuanyai Toliver. Dereke and BJ were truly overjoyed. The times BJ spent with Dereke and Deja were some of the happiest times of her life. Tragically in July 1999 Dereke passed away suddenly and unexpectedly. BJ was devastated. She’d lost the love of her life and was faced with raising Deja alone. BJ poured all of herself into Deja; she became her daily motivation. BJ knew she needed Christ to endure the despairs this life brings. She found a spiritual family with Kingdom Life Church of Hayward under the leadership and guidance of Pastor Mark Copeland and his wife Pastor Kathy Copeland. The Lord called BJ to rest on Monday, March 25, 2019. She is preceded in death by her parents and her eldest nephew Leonard Gaines, IV. Those remaining to cherish her memory are her Uncle Hosea Ashford (98), daughter Deja Toliver; sisters Susan Ashford and Bernadette Jones (H-Errick), nieces Altheia Courtney, Sonya Gaines, Kenya Ashford, Shawnte’, Keyawnte’, and Nia Scott, nephews Marcel Davis, SaJuan McElroy, 16 great nieces and nephews, a multitude of cousins, friends, and extended family. We will all miss her.
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