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Bill Culp was known for being a fair county elections director, but a bribery scandal landed him in federal prison

On April 12, 1999, Bill Culp was sentenced to 30 months in prison for conspiracy, public corruption and mail fraud. (Courtesy of the Charlotte Observer Photograph Collection – Charlotte Mecklenburg Library)

By Jim Morrill

Like riders on a carousel, politicians come and go in Mecklenburg County. Some hop on or off; others stay for longer rides.

But for nearly three decades from the 1970s through the 1990s, Bill Culp was always at the controls as the county’s elections director. He kept the machinery of elections spinning.

For Culp, the music stopped in 1998, when he pleaded guilty to accepting bribes and kickbacks from a voting machine vendor. At the time, it was the area’s biggest public corruption scandal in memory. He spent more than a year in federal prison.

Culp died Aug. 2 in Beaufort, S.C., after a long battle with Alzheimer’s disease. He was 78.

“Bill was a good guy who made mistakes and on balance served the community well,” said Ike Heard Jr., who chaired the county’s board of elections for eight years. “He was able to keep something relatively complex running efficiently for a good while.”

The son of a Methodist minister, Culp led a peripatetic early life, bouncing around several western N.C. towns. He started college in Greensboro, where he marched in protests for racial justice and joined protests at Woolworths, site of the first Civil Rights sit-ins. He once told The Observer that he believed his active politics contributed to getting him kicked out of Greensboro College.

A guitarist, Culp hitchhiked to California, where he joined a band as a folk singer. He later returned to Western Carolina University, where he studied political science and met his wife, Deena. Drafted, he went to Vietnam in the mid-’60s. After returning to North Carolina in 1968, he marched against the war.

Culp went on to get a teaching certificate at UNC Charlotte. He started teaching at West Charlotte High School, then an all-Black school.

“I was a little bit concerned about what would be the reaction of students,” he later told an oral history project. “But I was pleasantly surprised that my race didn’t seem to make a whole lot of difference to students.”

Culp always loved politics. As a boy, he planted an “I like Ike” sign in his front yard and later called himself a teenage Republican, though his politics changed with the times.

In 1969, he was hired as the county elections director. Despite his liberalism, he prided himself on professional neutrality.

Affable and funny, Culp became an informal adviser and confidante to aspiring and veteran politicians of all stripes. Reporters could count on him for a pointed insight or colorful quote. Though criticized by some conservatives, others said Culp tried hard to be fair.

“He has in my opinion worked diligently to be fair and evenhanded with everyone in the community,” Republican Billy Miller told the Observer in 1997.

Culp continued in the job until retiring in early 1998 after 28 years. At about the same time, the FBI launched an investigation into kickbacks involving county voting machines. That summer, Culp was indicted for accepting more than $134,000 in bribes and kickbacks going back seven years. A voting machine salesman and a repairman also were charged.

In 1999, Culp entered a federal prison near Durham to begin serving a 30-month sentence, though good behavior and enrollment in a drug treatment program reduced it to 14 months. He’d blamed marijuana use for poor judgment.

He was released from a halfway house in 2000.

Culp and his family moved to Beaufort shortly afterwards. There, he delivered meals to the needy, coached youth sports and volunteered in the community.

Culp is survived by his wife of 56 years, a son and daughter and six grandchildren. A memorial is scheduled for Sept. 3 at the Unitarian Universalist church of Beaufort.

Jim Morrill covered politics for the Charlotte Observer for almost 40 years. Reach him on Twitter @jimmorrill.

Other obituaries this week:

Acree S. Armstrong, 92, of Charlotte graduated from Harding High School in 1947 and went to work for Ralston Purina Co., where she remained until retiring in 1990. Acree was a longtime member of First A.R.P. Church and Hickory Grove Presbyterian Church in Charlotte, and later, Albemarle Road Presbyterian Church. She gave of herself in many ways at each church and was always eager to help. She was gifted with administrative abilities. Annual family beach trips were a favorite of hers, along with playing bridge and traveling.

Boyd Andrus Albritton, 70, of Charlotte attended Eastover School, Alexander Graham Junior High and Myers Park High School. Boyd will be remembered for his individuality and humor and for his creative talent and driving passion for music. His blues and rock ’n’ roll guitar playing was exceptional.

William “Bill” Sutton Barber, 80, of Boone had a long career in the Charlotte area as a marketing and sales leader. He worked for various large corporations: IBM Corp., PCA International, Fritch Butterfield Co., Prime Equities and Goodyear & Associates. Bill had many hobbies and outdoor activities that he enjoyed, especially boating, water skiing and sailing. Golf was his lifelong passion and winning the 2008 SCGA Super Senior Championship was one of his cherished golf highlights. Bill attended Myers Park High School.

Evelyn Bradshaw, 89, of Charlotte was dedicated to the service of her church, Greenville Tabernacle A.M.E. Zion Church (now Greenville Memorial A.M.E. Zion in Charlotte) and became involved at an early age. She was a member of Missionary Circle No. 3, class leader, a Sunday school teacher as well as a member of the board of Christian education. A dedicated deaconess, she sang soprano in the church choir and served as an usher. A graduate of West Charlotte High School in 1954, she was employed as a domestic worker and afterwards worked at a textile plant. Later, she worked in packaging at Merita Bakery, where she retired.

Martha Lee Burleson, 84, of Charlotte was the awards chairman for the Charlotte Council of Garden Clubs in 1982 and the president of the Charity League of Charlotte from 1988 to 1989, where she was active helping children for many years. She founded The Tool & Gage House in Charlotte with her husband. In 1955, she was named West Mecklenburg High School’s “Class Beauty.” Later that same year, she would be crowned the “Dairy Queen of Mecklenburg County” as well as the “Carrousel Princess.” Martha Lee’s beauty and style carried over into her artwork. She applied her talent to many media: painting, fashion, illustration, crochet, needle point, traditional and abstract quilting. She won numerous regional and national awards for her quilts, which pushed the boundaries of texture and design. She was a world traveler. The lavender fields of Provence, France, was her favorite place outside of the United States and inspired many of her art pieces.

Nancy Connor Cobb, 88, of Charlotte worked for Charlotte Cryovac for over 30 years, retiring in 1997. She was a member of Pritchard Memorial Baptist Church. Nancy was a 1952 graduate of Central High School in Charlotte.

Howard Yates “Sonny” Dunaway Jr., 100, of Charlotte spent more than 50 years in the real estate business at H.Y. Dunaway Co. working alongside family and friends in his childhood home on East Morehead Street, now The Pink House. Sonny’s love of music led him to the piano, drums and violin, and his mastery of the latter earned him a spot in the Charlotte Symphony Orchestra at 16. He was a graduate of Central High School and served in the Air Force, spending 30 months in the South Pacific theater during World War II. His golfing adventures happened on the course at Charlotte Country Club.

Sylvia Ingram Eagle, 98, of Charlotte found her calling with children, starting the Kiddie Korner Day Schools Inc. By 1999 when the business was sold, there were nine locations and 228 employees serving 1,200 children each week. During the 1950s and 1960s there was no licensing law. Beginning in 1961, Sylvia began traveling to Raleigh to speak with senators and representatives to get a mandatory licensing law passed. She helped start the N.C. Day Care Association and was its first president. She also helped start the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Day Care Association and was its first president. The first licensing law was passed in 1971. In honor of her commitment to early childhood education, in 2018, her children created the Sylvia Ingram Eagle Scholarship for early childhood education at Central Piedmont Community College.

Frank Randall (Randy) Fazia, 63, of Charlotte was a graduate of South Mecklenburg High School and UNC Charlotte. He pursued a career in landscaping and owned his own business. Randy was a music enthusiast. He enjoyed going to local performances, listening to music and playing his guitar.

Wilda Blair Heafner, 92, of Wilmington graduated in 1948 from Harding High School. Early in her life, Wilda worked for Mauney Piping & Supply Co. in Charlotte. Sight-seeing and traveling were among her favorite things to do. She especially enjoyed taking trips to various countries and places in the United States. Wilda loved music, played the piano and could always be found listening to her gospel music.

William Patrick Kerns, 77, of Charlotte taught mathematics and computer science at Central Piedmont Community College. In the 1980s, William owned three ComputerLand stores and sold the first computer east of the Mississippi River. The Charlotte Observer reported the sale with a front-page article. He won the President’s Cup for the outstanding franchisee of ComputerLand Corp. in 1986. He appreciated classical music and science fiction and had a passion for history and astronomy. He loved to garden, especially growing tomatoes from seed and sharing the abundance with friends and neighbors. He went to college at UNC Charlotte and served in the Army during the Vietnam War.

Peter “Marc” Marcum Lattimore, 65, of Mint Hill graduated from South Mecklenburg High School in 1975. He started working in the grocery business before he graduated and worked at Harris Teeter and Food Lion until he retired in March 2022. He was a lifelong Braves and Panthers fan. Sports were important to Marc, and you could usually find him on a golf course on his days off.

Michael Alan Lawson, 67, of Charlotte served two terms as president of Carmel Country Club. He was a middling but happy golfer. Mike taught faith formation to children at St. Gabriel Church in Charlotte, coached soccer and basketball at the YMCA and coordinated elementary and middle school interfaith basketball leagues. Mike spent his career as a consultant to businesses to improve productivity through time and methods engineering and later in sales performance.

Ruth Rogers Plummer, 85, of Matthews graduated from West Mecklenburg High School in Charlotte in 1955 and retired after a long career at Celanese Corp.

Elizabeth Martin Shaw, 87, of Black Mountain taught middle school at Kennedy Junior High in Charlotte, where she won numerous grants for the school, including one for an international garden. She was a longtime volunteer in Charlotte at Covenant Presbyterian Church. Elizabeth attended Central High School and stood in touch with classmates for over 70 years. Elizabeth was a passionate educator and reader and deeply loved her book club friends, the “Book Belles.”

Betsy Merritt Sherard, 93, of Charlotte was an active member of Trinity Presbyterian Church in Charlotte. She was involved with the Junior League of Charlotte, Friendship Trays, the German Club, and she counseled young ladies at Florence Crittenton Services. She enjoyed her times spent with her special friends, whether playing bridge or enjoying golf at the Charlotte Country Club. Perhaps her greatest joy was her beach home on Bald Head Island; having her entire family there enjoying each other was the highlight of her life.

Janet Lynn Cox Smith, 73, of Wesley Chapel was a North Carolina Principal Fellow, obtaining her master’s degree of school administration from UNC Charlotte in 1997. She achieved National Board Certification through the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards, the highest credential in teaching. Jan taught hundreds of children to read in at-risk elementary schools. After her retirement, Jan continued teaching and tutoring children.

Marietta Chamblee White, 87, of Charlotte was a longtime member of Sharon United Methodist Church (now SouthPark Church), where she was part of the handbell choir and an active member of the Progressive Sunday school class and Roses of Sharon circle for decades. Playing the piano was one of her greatest joys, and she was able to play many songs by ear. She was part of a group that brought music and worship to nursing home residents in the Charlotte area for many years. Marietta liked reading and writing poetry. In her spare time, she loved gardening and reading with the Sharon Woods Book Club. She always looked forward to the annual family beach trip to Ocean Isle Beach.

Judith L. Woody, 84, of Matthews was employed for 12 years at the Charlotte Observer as a production secretary.

Ways of Life condensed obituaries are compiled by Darrell Horwitz, a Charlotte-based freelance writer who writes about sports, local news and restaurants. Reach him at darrellhorwitz@gmail.com

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Ways of Life editor: Craig Paddock

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