William Camp Matthews III

William Camp Matthews III was born on September 22, 1986 in Raleigh, North Carolina and died unexpectedly in his Manhattan apartment on December 26, 2024.

Will is survived by his beloved son William Camp Matthews IV (Camp) and wife Kristen Anne Matthews; his mother Louise Norris Grabarek (Lisa); his father William Camp Matthews Jr. (Bill) and stepmother Debra Matthews; his sister Marion Norris Grabarek Miller and brother-in-law Eric Miller; and his sister Helen Camp Matthews and brother-in-law Zachary Arrington. He is also survived by Kristen's parents, Christopher and Carolyn Wicher, and by many loving in-laws, aunts, uncles, nieces, nephews, cousins, and dear friends.

Will was predeceased by his devoted grandparents William Camp Matthews, Edith Summers Matthews, Lil Matthews, Marion Norris Grabarek, and Robert Wensell Grabarek.

Will grew up in Raleigh, attended Pullen Memorial Baptist Church, and was a student at Ravenscroft School from kindergarten through twelfth grade. He graduated from Duke University, where he served as the president of Duke's Phi Delta Theta chapter during his senior year. Will went on to receive his MBA from Columbia Business School.

With Kristen, Will made a home in Manhattan and enjoyed the city's eclectic array of restaurants, its outdoor spaces, the theatre, and the U.S. Open. He cared deeply for their cherished pets and was passionate about animal welfare across the world. Together, they traveled extensively, from St. Lucia, to the Elephant Nature Park in Thailand, to Bora Bora, to the Lanai Cat Sanctuary in Hawaii. Will's favorite place to visit was his mother's home in Emerald Isle, North Carolina.

Will's life was fed by the pursuit of many passions. Early in high school, he took flying lessons and earned his pilot's license before he had a driver's license. Whether home or away, he rarely missed an opportunity to be among the most zealous of Duke's Cameron Crazies. Will was a fount of knowledge of all things political, and his contagious enthusiasm for even the driest of polling data could enrapture any listener.

Will had the quickest of wits and delighted in bringing laughter to a room. He loved to laugh, and did so readily and with such warmth that his eyes disappeared into his smile. He had an abiding love for his family and never held back from saying so. Will's face lit with joy whenever he saw his son, and he loved nothing more than Camp sleeping on his chest or sitting in his lap. He described the root of his unconditional love for Camp as having seen the essence of Camp's soul.

Will felt deeply. Fast to love, strangers did not remain strangers for long. His tender heart and intellectual curiosity nourished conversations and cultivated lasting friendships. He was an attentive listener, no matter the obscurity of the subject. Whatever your interest, whatever your joy, whatever your sorrow, wherever you were, Will was there with you.

Will had dreams. He dreamed of taking Camp to Duke basketball games at Cameron Indoor Stadium, piloting an airplane again, and, above all, watching his precious child grow up.

At the end of his life, Will struggled mightily with alcoholism; throughout that struggle, his devotion and love for Camp were a light in the darkness. May our memories of Will be a light for us all.

A celebration of Will's life will be held at 3:00 p.m. on Saturday, January 11, 2025 at Pullen Memorial Baptist Church in Raleigh (1801 Hillsborough Street).To honor Will's memory, please consider donating to the National Alliance on Mental Illness (nami.org), Shatterproof (shatterproof.org), or any organizations that support those impacted by addiction and mental health issues.