The Rev. Bill Sharpe found his home in helping others. Sprawled through his life, including his time as Elon University’s first chaplain and counselor, is a constellation of those he inspired and the works he created. Sharpe died in January 2020 of cancer.
Elon University created an archive of his collections in May of 2024 that include pieces of memorabilia he collected over the years such as photographs of staff members, letters, playbills and newspaper clippings.
“My dad, he was a big collector of things,” said his daughter Jan Register, who donated the archival materials.
The collection itself was assembled by an archival student, Jasper Meyers ’24.
“I have nothing but gratitude to Jan and her family for allowing me to handle these documents and process them,” Jasper said.
Register, the administrative assistant for the Truitt Center for Religious and Spiritual Life, said in all aspects her father was a revered man, who students and faculty came to for advice. She described him as “a friend, a confidant, a mentor” to faculty and students.
Anna Bennett, Sharpe’s granddaughter, called him her childhood hero and described him as an avid lover of stories, learning from others and telling his own. Bennett recalled the stories she and her cousins listened to growing up.
“Ever since we were kids, when all the cousins would get together he would tell us all kinds of different stories,” Bennett said.
During his life, he was an actor and wrote many plans for plays. In the archive are notes on the plays, as well as a playbill for the one performed. In the last year of his life, Bennett produced several of his written works into one play called “The Inside Out.” There were four separate skits within the play that explored themes of connection, human conflict, conformity and, most central, the importance of youths’ minds in creation of a better world.
Register said her father’s impact on the community was far-reaching.
“He was like my hero. I would say he was my strongest mentor,” Register said.
Register wrote an article reflecting on the archive view it here.