One of the most intriguing North Carolina urban legends is the story of the Sunshine Woman. Leila Maud Hansell was a schoolteacher and the wife of a powerful judge, who developed terminal tuberculosis. She died at the age of 54 in 1915 with one request: not to be buried in darkness.
Her husband ordered the construction of a large above-ground vault to honor her last wishes at Oakdale Cemetery in Hendersonville. The vault had thick squares of prism glass as a cover, allowing sunlight to enter at all times.
By 1937, Oakdale Cemetery covered the glass to give her body peace from tourists.
After her internment, locals reported seeing strange occurrences at her grave, including seeing Leila’s skeleton smiling or moving from the shadows cast by nearby trees.
Written By: John G. Clark Jr.
