Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SATURDAY, April 14, 1990 TAG: 9004140377
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: A3 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE:
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
A white-haired, soft-spoken Salem native, Webber had led many Roanoke Valley business and civic activities for more than a half-century. He played tennis regularly until he was 89.
At Salem High School, he was captain of the football team and he played on the basketball team that won state championships before World War I. After serving in the Army during the war, he graduated from Roanoke College and became a registered pharmacist in 1922. Webber and his wife, the former Pauline Graham, also a pharmacist, operated Webber's Pharmacy in Salem for 34 years.
He was president and later chairman of the old Farmers National Bank, stepping down in 1975 after 44 years as a director. He was president of Virginia Pharmaceutical Association and an officer or director in about 20 other organizations.
Webber was a former grand master of Virginia Masons and he rose to high office in a 35-state region of the Masonic order. He was cited as Good Citizen by Salem-Roanoke County Chamber of Commerce and Father of the Year by the Roanoke Retail Merchants Association. He helped found of the West Central 4-H Center in Franklin County.
Webber was chairman of a Roanoke County Consolidation Committee in 1966, a member of the county's School Trustee Electoral Board and chairman of the county's Savings Bond Committee. He was a charter member of American Legion Post 19 in Salem and a member of the county's draft board in World War II. He was a member of the Salem Recreation Commission for more than 20 years and a park in South Salem is named for him.
He was treasurer, a trustee and member of the board of stewards at First United Methodist Church in Salem for many years.
The Webber home on Broad Street, a colorful Victorian mansion known as the Evans House, is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
A 1986 feature about Webber in this newspaper called him "Salem's hero." When he and his wife operated Webber's Pharmacy, their upstairs apartment and the store were centers for many Salem residents. Webber began his work day at 8:30 a.m. and rarely finished before midnight.
In addition to his wife, he is survived by a daughter, Jean Webber Payne, Greensboro; a son, Charles E. Webber Jr., Richmond; a sister, Emma Webber, Salem; and 10 grandchildren.
A memorial service will be Monday at 11 a.m. in First United Methodist Church. In lieu of flowers, the family suggested that donations be made to the church or to the Roanoke Scottish Rite Bodies Language Disorder Clinic in Roanoke. Arrangements are being handled by John M. Oakey and Son Funeral Home, Salem.
by CNB