Henry W. Beltram Obituary

Henry William Beltram passed peacefully Sunday December 10, 2017 at age 92. He is survived by Glennis Hopkins Beltram, his wife of 65 years, four children, seven grandchildren, and four great grandchildren. A lifelong resident of Chepachet, RI he was born on the Reservoir Road farm the youngest of seven children of John and Louise Salvadori Beltram.
Henry’s and Glennis’ joy and happiness is their family. They encourage and are proud of their children’s and grandchildren’s achievements. Henry’s and Glennis’ children are Hank and Lisa Beltram of Lebanon, CT; Noveline Beltram and partner Steven Dugan of Pascoag, RI; Neal and Elizabeth Beltram of Chepachet, RI; and Myles and Dawn Beltram of Chepachet, RI. Grandchildren and great grandchildren are Jenna and Russ Goettel of Arlington, MA with children Lily and Owen Henry; Corey and Tiffany Beltram of Chepachet with children Hannah and Theodore; Aaron and Ashley Beltram of Scituate, RI; Eric and Kyle Beltram of Bristol, RI; Fiona Beltram, Declan Beltram, and Conall Beltram of Chepachet, RI.
After graduating 8th grade Chepachet Grammar School at age 15, Henry spent a year in woodworking school. His desire for higher education was an inspiration to get his GED later in life and he was passionate that his children attend college. He worked with his father and older brother Dan in the family knife sharpening business until he was drafted at age 18 and enlisted in the US Navy in 1943. He was trained in Key West, FL as a Pharmacist’s Mate Third Class and was assigned to the USS Talladega as the first crew after the ship’s commissioning. As a Navy hospital corpsman he treated and nursed wounded Marines from a number of Pacific battles including Iwo Jima and Okinawa. Four of the Marines that raised the flag on Mount Suribachi, Iwo Jima disembarked from the USS Talladega. He was proud to possess an original print of the famous original flag raising. He was at attention on the rail of the USS Talladega as the first ship of thirty one into Tokyo Bay to witness the VJ Day signing of the surrender document by General Douglas MacArthur on September 2, 1945 onboard the battleship USS Missouri. He was honorably discharged in 1946.
After discharge, he re-joined the family business, Cutlery Grinding Service. When his brother Ferdinand was discharged from the Army, they continued and expanded the business sharpening knives throughout RI, CT, and MA until he retired in 2005 at age 80.
Henry was involved with the community as an Assistant Scoutmaster for Troop 44 for many years. He enjoyed spending time with the scouts at Camp Yawgoog, climbing Mount Monadnock, the annual Bean Hole Bake, and parades. Henry and Glennis were proud members of the Glocester Heritage Society, honored with a lifelong achievement award in 2012. The Chepachet Grange recognized him in 2015.
Henry enjoyed his home and spending time with his family. Henry enjoyed taking extended Labor Day weekend family camping vacations, selecting drivable destinations of the New York World’s Fair, Gettysburg, Expo ’67, Pennsylvania Dutch and Amish country, and Washington DC. He enjoyed tobogganing on Acotes Hill and skating on frozen ponds during winter, and swimming in summer with the family. He enjoyed beekeeping, gardening, growing vegetables and especially his many flowers and shrubs, many started from seeds or clippings he collected along his routes.
His funeral will be held Saturday, December 16, 2017 at 9:30AM from the TUCKER-QUINN Funeral Chapel, 643 Putnam Pike (Rt.44) Greenville, with a Mass of Christian Burial at 11AM in St. Eugene Church, 1247 Putnam Pike, Chepachet. Burial with Military Honors will be in Acotes Hill Cemetery, Chepachet. Calling hours will be in the Funeral Home, Friday December 15, 2017 from 4:00 p.m.-7:00 p.m. The family requests memorial donations in lieu of flowers to Troop 44 Glocester in care of Scoutmaster Brad Leach, 71 Brown School Road, Chepachet, RI 02814.