As Halloween draws near, the eerie decorations adorning Charlotte’s neighborhoods hint at the upcoming festivities. However, for Bill Bibby, the city’s sexton, interacting with graveyards is not limited to just one night of the year.
Bill Bibby, serving as Charlotte’s city sexton since 2015, is responsible for the care and management of the city’s seven public cemeteries. With his extensive experience, he’s well aware of the common questions that come his way.
“Have I ever seen a ghost? No,” Bibby chuckles.
His work often takes him to some of Charlotte’s most historic burial sites, such as Elmwood Cemetery, established in the 1840s and situated near uptown.
Inside a family mausoleum, Bibby pushes open a metal door to reveal a dimly lit space, illuminated by a yellow-stained glass window, with a broom resting nearby.
“Yeah, that’s for the witch,” he jests. “Just kidding.”
In reality, the broom is used by city workers who clean and inspect the tombs, though cobwebs tend to reappear quickly. Maintaining these mausoleums is crucial as they can deteriorate over time or, as in one past incident, get struck by lightning. (No, the bodies didn’t come back to life.)
Outside, Bibby elaborates on the responsibilities of his role.
“The number one priority is putting the right person in the right spot. Every day,” he laughs. “That’s the most important thing.”
Interestingly, Bibby mentions that he’s now involved in relocating more people than ever before, a task that entails moving remains to different states at the request of families.
“Sometimes people wonder why I grab the dirt and smell it,” he explains. “When I’m getting close, you can smell the dirt of a decomposed body.”
This aspect of his work, he admits, can be quite unsettling.
Bibby is also responsible for overseeing the upkeep of all seven cemeteries, from the historic Old Settlers’ Cemetery, dating back to the 1760s, to the more recent Evergreen Cemetery, established in the 1940s.
“Garbage is the number one problem,” he notes. “Everybody dumps their garbage in a cemetery.”
During Halloween, the grounds crew often encounters peculiar finds, such as lit candles or even a deceased chicken.
Bibby’s team is tasked with repairing vandalized headstones and damaged statues. Yet, he finds the most challenging aspect of his job is interacting with families in mourning.
“I’ve had a lot of flowers thrown in my face,” he recalls. “But it’s okay. All of them who threw flowers in my face became my friend. I can tell you that for sure.”
Bibby believes that empathy is the key quality required for his role, both for the living and deceased. His light-hearted humor aids in alleviating the emotional weight of his duties.
His experiences have profoundly influenced his perspective on life.
“It has changed me to enjoy life,” Bibby reflects. “I love life. I very rarely get mad, because to me it’s not worth it.”
Surrounded by reminders of mortality, Bibby emphasizes the importance of valuing life.
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