Harley Joe “Lucky” Beinkampen

VIRGINIA BEACH- Our beloved husband and father, Harley Beinkampen, 78, passed away on January 2, 2017. He is survived by his loving wife, Maria Beinkampen; daughter, Denise Roland and her husband Tom; grandchildren, Nicholas, Alexander, and Isabella Roland, Devin and Christopher Beinkampen, and their mother, Anna Beinkampen; siblings, Thomas Lee Beinkampen, Mariedith Hutson, Linda Taylor, Peggy Ann Elick, and David Karl Beinkampen. Harley was preceeded in death by his parents, Joseph Beinkampen and Elva Childers and his most beloved son, Paul Joseph Beinkampen. Harley attended Baltimore Polytechnic Institute in Maryland where he earned his nickname, “Lucky”. He also earned an Associate Degree in Engineering from Tidewater Community College. Harley retired from the Navy as a Master Chief Petty Officer after 26 years of service with an impressive 14 Mediterranean cruises under his belt. He was a fire marshal on the naval ships he served on as well as a naval recruiter. After the military, he worked as an engineer for J.J. Henry Co. Inc. in Portsmouth, VA and was a member of The Society of Naval Architects and Marine Engineers. Harley was highly regarded by those that worked for him and by those he worked for. He was a generous man who helped everyone, from rebuilding a monastery in Italy to jumping in a canal in France to save a drowning stranger. Everyone who crossed his path was better for having had known him. Harley spent his life as a true family man who loved his children and his grandchildren unconditionally. He will be dearly missed.
A Celebration of Life will be held at 6pm on Thursday, January 5th at Altmeyer Funeral Home Southside Chapel 5792 Greenwich Rd. Virginia Beach, Virginia 23462 with a reception to follow. A graveside committal service will be held at Albert G. Horton Jr. Memorial Veterans CemeteryFriday, January 6th, at 11am with full military honors. In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to the Wounded Warrior Project in his honor.