Monday mornings for most people mean catching up on emails and attending meetings. But for Tyler native Sarah Jones, they often meant facing the worst day of someone else’s life.
For over a decade, Jones worked in the death care industry, with roles ranging from funeral director and tissue donation specialist to autopsy technician. Her new book, “Living Life with Death,: offers a rare and deeply personal look at life through the lens of death.
Jones began her career in mortuary school in 2010, initially planning to become a funeral director and embalmer. While studying, she worked part-time with a willed body program and assisted the local medical examiner’s office. After leaving mortuary school, she spent five years in tissue donation services before returning to the industry in 2018 as an autopsy technician, a position she held until 2023.
In “Living Life with Death,: Jones reflects on the wide spectrum of lives she encountered — from stillborn babies to people over 100 years old, from peaceful passings to tragic homicides. Her collection of essays and poems reveals the lessons she learned about being alive from those who are not and how working in the death industry shaped her life. Written with deep introspection and a surprising amount of humor, “Living Life with Death” offers a unique perspective and a lesson for all readers.
Living Life with Death is now available for purchase on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and Wipf & Stock.
Jones is scheduled for a book signing at Tyler’s Half Price Books, located at 8966 S. Broadway Avenue in Tyler, on Jan. 16 from 1 to 3 p.m., where she will discuss her experiences and share insights from her debut book.
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