Sara Mae Norris-Jones was born on April 5, 1925, in Wichita County, Kansas to George and Ada Norris. After high school, Sara went to live with her aunt in Hollywood, California where she soon met and married Carl Jones- a handsome young soldier who was soon shipped overseas to the Pacific Teater. When he returned after WWII ended, they moved north to the Pacific Northwest, where they raised two daughters, Diana and Pamela.

Sara worked at the University of Washington as an administrative assistant to the Dean of Arts and Sciences. She succeeded in finishing a B.A. in English Literature and graduated in 1977.

Sara was preceded in death by her husband, Carl, and her daughter, Diana. She is survived by her daughter, Pamela Shettle; two grandsons, Ryan and Byron Shettle; and two great-granddaughters, Zoe and Rylee Shettle.