via Lori Ann Brass:

When he was young, Bill Cameron wanted to be a park ranger, but lacking a college degree, he knew he didn’t qualify. Instead, he and his wife Joan, now respectively 81 and 75, became superintendents of the 18-acre historic Grove Street Cemetery in New Haven, Connecticut which is on the National Register of Historic Places. Among the noteworthy people buried there are Eli Whitney, Noah Webster, Charles Goodyear, and several former Yale presidents, including Bart Giamatti and Kingman Brewster. But the Camerons feel everybody buried at Grove Street is worth noting.  Equally noteworthy is the Camerons’ dedication to their work and their very personal way of taking care of the cemetery — from the grounds to the families who come to buy plots and bury their loved ones. For Bill and Joan, the cemetery is their world, and it has been that way for more than 35 years. Working in the cemetery has given them a unique perspective on living and dying. 

Listen to more stories by Lori Ann Brass on PRX.

Tweet