Harry Lee Beckner, longtime resident of Salem, Va., went to be with the Lord early on Saturday, February 25, 2017, at Roanoke Memorial Hospital.

He was predeceased by his parents, Jabez Martin and Sadie Lee (Vipperman) Beckner; brothers, Harless Leroy Beckner, Ernest Lewis Beckner, Dewey Stuart Beckner, and Ray Grayson Beckner; and sisters, Ethel Ruby Beckner, Annie Francis Beckner, Elsie Kathleen (Beckner) Giles, and Margaret Louise (Beckner) Mitchell.

Harry was born on Monday, November 27, 1933, in Pulaski County, Va. and graduated from Pulaski High School. He married Nancy Rminnie Hurd on Tuesday, July 15, 1952, in York County, S.C. They had been married 60 years when Nancy passed away on Friday, November 23, 2012.

Left to cherish his memory are his sons, Duane Beckner and wife, Brenda (Cook), of Keller, Texas, Tim Beckner and wife, Pam (Black), of Chantilly, Va., and Barry Beckner and wife, Teri (Garcia), of Peoria, Ariz.; grandchildren, Justin Beckner and wife, Melissa (Fulgencio), of Anaheim, Calif., Brittany (Beckner) Lynch and husband, Kevin, of Springfield, Va., Brandon Beckner of Arlington, Va., Zachary Beckner and Ashley Beckner, both of Peoria, Ariz.; great-grandchild, Alathea Lynch; and siblings, George Riley Beckner, Betty Goad, and Paul Beckner.


After serving with the US Army during the Korean conflict, Harry worked as Operations Manager at Virginia Foods in Salem for many years. He retired as a sales agent for Settlers Life Insurance Company. Harry and Nancy were charter members of the Salem Church of God where Harry served as Treasurer, as well as being an active member in their music program.

The family will receive friends from 10 to 11 a.m. on Wednesday, March 1, 2017, in the John M. Oakey & Son Chapel in Salem where a service celebrating his life will begin at 11 a.m. Interment will follow at Blue Ridge Memorial Gardens in Roanoke. The Rev. Todd Stiffler will officiate.

An online guestbook is available at www.johnmoakey.com.