Camilla Mcconnell

Waynesville, Camilla Grace Webber McConnell, age 93, passed away on Wednesday, December 23, 2020 at Autumn Care of Waynesville, North Carolina.

A native of Orlando, Florida, she was a daughter of the late Winslow L. Webber and Edith Babson Mustard.  In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her husband, James H. McConnell; two brothers, Roger Babson Webber and Michael Parkhurst Webber.  Camilla served as the interim Vice President and retired as Registrar of Webber College, currently Webber International, which was founded by her grandparents, Roger Ward and Grace Knight Babson.  Mr. Babson also founded Babson College, was a candidate for the President of the United States and a well-respected economist.  Camilla was an active member of First Baptist Church of Waynesville.  She was an unpaid director and one of the first members of The Museum of North Carolina Handicrafts located in the Shelton House and had great pride in assisting to raise more than $50,000.00 to help pay for renovations to the Shelton House, which was originally built in 1875.  Now the building is home to an eclectic collection of pottery, Indian crafts, wood carvings and quilts that represents a material history of North Carolina and the collection meant so much to her.  She enjoyed showing people around the museum, raising money for the library as a member of Friends of the Library and delivering meals to the elderly.  She and her late husband Jim started a Christmas tree farm, and she took delight in harvesting Christmas trees.  Between her involvement with the church and her volunteer work it made her feel "very good, was a very heartwarming thing to do and gave her a great deal of personal satisfaction."

Camilla is survived by two sisters, Judith "Judy" Webber Ross, of Waynesville and Marlene Mustard Graf of Fountain Hills, Arizona; half-sister, Suzanne Joy Webber, of Newton, Massachusetts; nephews, Norman M. Ross, III (Mary), Michael Webber Ross, Sr., Roger Babson Ross (Karen) and Richard K. Osborne (Charleen); niece, Virginia Lee Ricker (Dwayne) Sampson; two great-nieces and three great-nephews; and one great-great niece.

The family wishes to thank devoted friends Pat and Davis Jenkins as well as the staff of Autumn Care for many years of Camilla’s care.

In lieu of flowers memorials may be made to First Baptist Church of Waynesville, General Fund, P.O. Box 690, Waynesville, NC 28786 or Museum of NC Handicrafts/Shelton House, 49 Shelton Street, Waynesville, NC 28786.

The care of Mrs. McConnell has been entrusted to Wells Funeral Homes.