Fueled by compassion for families: Talented Jasper teen finds his niche at funeral home Story by Concepcion Ledezma Staff Writer Photography by Shane Mathews Most teenagers aren’t exactly dying -- pardon the pun -- to be employed at a funeral home. However, 17-year-old Jonquay Andrews seems to savor every moment he is there. His grandmother and co-guardian, Ada Dean Curry, summed it all up: “Ever since he was four, he’d rather be at the funeral home than at home.” In the decade or so he’s been associated with Eric A. Brown & Son Funeral Home in Jasper, Andrews’ fervor for the funeral business has not diminished. He was employed there from age 14, he said. “Yes, my grandmother is right about me always wanting to be at the funeral home,” the Hamilton County High School 11th-grader said. “I’ve always been fascinated by how things work, 16 The Front Porch
and the work that’s involved with dead bodies. “Besides, I learn a lot at the funeral job,” he said. “If I stayed home, I’d be doing nothing.” Andrews, who has gained notoriety at the school for his unconventional occupation, admits he’s gotten used to getting the expected reactions from his peers. “Some would say, ‘Eww. . . that’s disgusting’... stuff like that,” Andrews said. “But I just tell them that there’s nothing to it. To me, it’s a passion.” Among his duties at Brown & Son are dressing the bodies, helping move the casket, taking phone calls, and greeting mourners. His relationship with his boss and mentor, Eric Brown, is more than just one between employer and employee. “He’s been like a father to me,” Andrews said. “I learned a lot from him, and not just about funeral business.” Their connection started even before Andrews
