Pamela Courson

Birth Name:

Pamela Susan Courson

Birth Date:

December 22, 1946

Birth Place:

Weed, California

Death Date:

April 25, 1974

Place of Death:

108 North Sycamore Avenue, Hollywood, California

Age:

Cause of Death:

Heroin overdose

Cemetery Name:

Fairhaven Memorial Park

Claim to Fame:

Music

Associates:

Pamela Courson was a long-term companion of Jim Morrison, singer of the Doors. Courson stated she discovered Morrison's body in the bathtub of a Paris apartment in 1971. On April 25, 1974, Courson died of a heroin overdose on the living room couch at the Los Angeles apartment she shared with two male friends. Like Morrison, she was 27 years old when she died.

This is the end ….

When Jim Morrison died from a heroin overdose, his estate was worth $400,000. Prior to his death, Morrison created a will leaving everything to his common law wife, Pamela Courson, and if she failed to survive Morrison by three months, then his assets would pass to his brother and sister.

Unfortunately Pamela received nothing as the estate remained in litigation up until her passing. Because she died without a will, the estate transferred to her parents, Columbus “Corky” Courson and Pearl “Penny” Courson. That’s right – Corky and Penny owned 25% of the Doors.

Jim Morrison’s parents litigation for a share of the estate ended several years later in an out-of-court settlement with the Morrison’s taking half of the royalties and the Courson’s controlling the rights to manage and control Morrison’s image, music, and royalties.

By all accounts, the Courson’s did an excellent job working with the surviving Doors members to continue the legacy of Jim Morrison and the Doors.

Cemetery Information:

Final Resting Place:

Fairhaven Memorial Park

1702 Fairhaven Ave

Santa Ana, California, 92705

USA

North America

Map:

Map of Fairhaven Cemetery in Santa Ana, California

Grave Location:

Garden Courts Mausoleum, Rose Alcove, Unit 614

Grave Location Description

As you enter the cemetery off of Fairhaven Avenue, turn left (or right depending on your orientation) to the parking lot in front of the outdoor mausoleum area. As you wander through the maze of hallways, look for the small Rose Alcove and Pamela can be found four rows from the bottom on the left facing the entrance.