EDITOR’S NOTE: Strangeville explores the legends, folklore, and unexplained history of Western North Carolina. From Cherokee mythology and Appalachian ghost stories to Bigfoot sightings and UFO encounters, the Blue Ridge Mountains have long been a hotspot for the strange and mysterious. Join us as we dig into the past and uncover the truth behind the region’s most curious tales.

HENDERSONVILLE, N.C. — In yesterday’s Tombstone Tales, we shared the unusual story of Lelia Maud Davidson Hansell, a teacher known in life for her cheerful spirit and in death for a final wish – to rest forever in sunlight.

Her grave still stands in Oakdale Cemetery, and what began as an act of devotion soon became something stranger. Visitors claimed they could see Lelia’s face through the glass.

Over time, the “Sunshine Lady” became the center of one of Hendersonville’s oldest and eeriest legends.

The vault where Leila Hansell was laid to rest in Henderonville’s Oakdale Cemetery. The original design of the vault drew attention as it stood out from the more traditional headstones surrounding it. Photo: Shannon Ballard

When Leila’s husband, Judge Charles P. Hansell, honored her request in 1915, he commissioned a brick, above-ground vault. Its lid was embedded with thick glass discs known as vault lights. These prism-shaped lenses were designed to capture natural light and direct it into the burial chamber.

Reports from early visitors varied widely. Some said that when sunlight hit just right, they saw strands of hair. Others described the faint outline of a skull. Several claimed the body had not decayed. There were even accounts of a warm glow beneath the glass. Some visitors believed the grave radiated a presence that could still be felt.

Public interest spread quickly. Within a few years, the grave drew reporters from both local and national newspapers. Journalists described her face as peaceful or her body shrouded in gray. Others mentioned floral garlands, or a figure wrapped in lace. Each account added a new layer to the growing legend.

The vault became a local spectacle. Children sold bottles of water to tourists hoping to wash dirt from the glass and improve their view. Some visitors even charged others to take a look. The “sunshine grave” quickly gained a reputation that blurred the line between memorial and attraction.

The final resting place of Leila Hansell was meant to be peaceful. The unique nature of her vault and the public obsession with it, led to local controversy. Photo: The Charlotte Observer (November 28, 1926) Newspapers.com

A detailed article by journalist Lecta Denham appeared in The Charlotte Observer in 1926. The piece documented growing debate around the grave, especially during the anniversary of Hansell’s death each December. Visitors gathered and argued about what could be seen through the glass. Some claimed they saw Lelia’s full figure. Others insisted nothing had ever been visible.

Undertaker J.M. Stepp, the man who built the vault, eventually responded to the public debate. He explained the body had not been embalmed, per Hansell’s request, and that while her burial was unconventional, it had been done with care and in accordance with her wishes. He even dismissed suggestions that Hansell suffered from claustrophobia, which some had speculated as a reason for her desire for sunlight.

Despite his explanation, many remained convinced of what they had seen. Denham described visitors returning at the same time each day, hoping to catch the light at the perfect angle. Some swore they saw skeletal remains. Others described a face surrounded by flowers. A few claimed to see movement beneath the surface.

Arguments over the vault continued. Denham wrote that the grave had become “almost a menace to harmony” in Hendersonville.

As interest grew, so did concern. Cemetery caretakers dealt with visitors attempting to scrub the glass, pry it loose, or photograph the remains. The constant attention became too much. By 1937, the vault was covered with concrete and sealed. From that point on, the grave appeared like any other stone structure in the cemetery.

Even after the tomb was sealed, the stories continued. Some believe the grave still holds a lingering presence. A few visitors say they feel a sudden shift in temperature while standing nearby. The air grows warm, they claim, even on cool days.

The “Sunshine Lady” wanted light. What she received was a lifetime of attention, fascination, and folklore. More than a hundred years later, her story remains one of the strangest and most unforgettable in Hendersonville’s history.

Visit “Sunshine Lady” vault in Oakdale Cemetery, Hendersonville, North Carolina