Carter W. Beamer,95, of Wytheville,died Saturday, August 30, 2014. He was the son of the late Harden Mitchell and Minnie Catherine Gardner Beamer of Carroll County. He is preceded in death by his wife of 67 years, Madeline Fleshman Beamer; three brothers, Clayton, Raymond, and Rufus; and by four sisters, Gladys Wright, Aylene Hoffer, Hazel Browder, and Edith Jones. Carter grew up on a farm near Hillsville. Following high school, he attended Virginia Military Institute (V.M.I.), where he was a Civil Engineering graduate in 1941. At V.M.I. he was on the wrestling team and was Southern Conference champion in his weight class. He was immediately called to duty in the Army. He served as lieutenant and captain through World War II and was awarded the Bronze Star for his heroism.He was then employed as the City Engineer by the City of Fredericksburg.He then accepted the position of Town Manager of Wytheville where he served 36 years. During his tenure as Town Manager, he utilized his training and background as a civil engineer to initiate and supervise the construction of the town's first water treatment plan, the first sewage treatment plant, water and sewer pump stations, miles of water mains and sewer lines, street construction and paving, and many other worthwhile projects in the first street improvement program. In addition, he tirelessly brought businesses and industries to Wytheville as President of the Wytheville Industrial Development Corporation. He created a recreation department and was instrumental in the building of the community center. He served on a committee to establish the local community college and served on its building committee, as well as on the Lakes to Florida Highway board.He was Treasurer and Director for the construction of Wythe County Hospital and on the committee to establish the Fairview Industrial Park to bring new industry. He was an officer of a Chamber of Commerce Committee which secured the Shot Tower property and turned it over to the state as a park. He served as Chairman of the Wythe County Tax Equalization Board for several terms. In civic matters, he was a long time member of the Wytheville Lions Club and served as President and as Deputy District Governor for several terms. He served a term as President of the Virginia City Manager's Association and was appointed by several governors to serve as a member on the Virginia State Fire Board for ten years. He served as an officer of the United Fund and the Red Cross. In 1995, he was honored by being listed on the Wytheville Wall of Honor.A dedicated golfer, he won the men's senior championship for a number of years at the Wytheville Country Club. Considering himself an amateur historian, he made talks to various organizations about the Civil and Revolutionary Wars and about local history. After conducting extensive research, he published several genealogy books about the Gardner and Beamer families of Hillsville.A charter member, he served as President of the Wythe County Historical Society. He was most proud of getting St. John's Episcopal Church listed on the state and national registry of Historic Places. He and his wife, Madeline, were longtime members of St. John's Episcopal Church where he served several terms on the church vestry, as Senior Warden, Church School Superintendent, and as a lay reader for many years. May 3rd, 2009 was designated by the town as Carter W. Beamer Day in Wytheville. He is survived by his daughter, Beryl Scott, and husband, Timothy Rankin of Richmond;son, Dr. Wilson Carter Beamer, and wife, Lynn of Knoxville, Tennessee; three grandchildren, Shane Patrick Rankin, and wife, Amanda, Zachary Gardner Beamer, and Spencer Wilson Beamer; sisters-in-laws, Charlotte C. Beamer, of Blacksburg,Alice Fleshman of Sun City West, Arizona, and June Kiser Pyrah of Salem. Many nieces and nephews also survive.The family would like to express their gratitude to the staff at Carrington Place for their compassionate care, especially his excellent friends and therapists, Ritchie Gibbs and Matthew Hopkins, for their exceptional care. Funeral Services will be held at St. John's Episcopal Church in Wytheville,on Wednesday, September 3, 2014at 11 a.m., with Father Kent Tarpley officiating. Interment will follow in the Woodlawn Cemetery, Woodlawn. The family will receive friends on the evening of Tuesday, September 2, 2014from 6 to 8 p.m. at the Barnett Funeral Home. In lieu of flowers, memorial gifts may be made to St. John's Episcopal Church, Wytheville, Virginia, or to the V.M.I. Educational Foundation, V.M.I., Lexington, Virginia 24450. Online condolences can be made to the Beamer family at www.highlandfuneralservice.com. Barnett Funeral Home, Wytheville is serving the Beamer family. Roanoke Times 9/1/2014