What is life really like behind the doors of a funeral home? Author and licensed funeral director Dee Branch Oliver joins Erin Egnatz on Plot Twist Radio to share the remarkable story behind The Undertaker’s Wife and Going Out in Style.
Dee’s introduction to the funeral business began in unforgettable fashion: her future husband, fourth-generation funeral director Johnny Oliver, took her on a first date that unexpectedly included responding to a death call. Years later, Dee found herself working in the family funeral home, earning her own degree in mortuary science and discovering just how differently those who work around death experience life.
Dee also opens up about the sudden death of her husband, the grief that followed, and the startling realization that even two funeral directors were unprepared for their own family’s loss. She explains how writing became therapeutic, why humor belongs in conversations about death, and what she wishes more families understood about grieving.
Now, as The Undertaker’s Wife marks its 10-year anniversary, Dee reflects on funeral-home myths, the emotional lives of funeral directors, navigating profound loss and why some of the objects we leave behind can become powerful sources of comfort.
It’s a funny, candid and unexpectedly life-affirming conversation about death, love, grief and what happens when the people who help everyone else say goodbye have to face a goodbye of their own.
You can find Dee's books here! I highly recommend checking them out!