James Paul “Jim” Harcum, 81, passed away Sunday, Feb. 17, 2019. Jim was born Sept. 7, 1937, in Campbell’s Creek, Beaufort County, North Carolina, at the home of his maternal grandparents, Mack Allen Paul and Ida Eleanor Overton Paul. He was the only child of Arthur Hudson Harcum and his second wife, Carrie Etha Paul Harcum.
For most of his youth, Jim was a resident of Lynnhaven Inlet, Princess Anne County, now Virginia Beach. He was a graduate of Princess Anne High School in 1955 in the first class of the county’s “new” high school. Jim began his employment at a young age, working at a fishing center at the Inlet just off the Chesapeake Bay. His love for the bay and its tributaries continued throughout his life. He was fortunate to have both power and sail boats and spent many hours with his wife, daughters, granddaughters and friends enjoying the waters of the area.
Jim was a student at Norfolk College business school, where he met Dorothy Janet Johnson. They were married Oct. 7, 1961, at Holy Communion Lutheran Church, Portsmouth. Jim joined the U.S. Marine Corps November 1960 and served until November 1967 when he was honorably discharged as a sergeant. As a surprise for his 70th birthday, Jim was honored with an engraved brick which is on the right pathway leading to the entrance of the National Museum of the Marine Corps, Quantico.
In February 1968, Jim opened an AAMCO Center on Mercury Boulevard in Hampton, the first AAMCO franchise on the Peninsula. He sold his business and “retired” in Sept 2003. After a few months of retirement, he decided he missed the public life and became an employee of Hunt Properties as a site manager for Storage World — Poquoson. Jim was a member of St. Mark Lutheran Church, Yorktown, where he served on various committees, church council as well as council/congregational president.
Jim was a charter member of Seaford Yacht Club, a member of Poquoson Masonic lodge A.F. & A.M. 49 and a former member of Hampton Rotary and Yorktown Rotary.
Jim is survived by his wife, Dot; daughters, Robin Lynn Harcum Bellamy, and her husband, Mark Leonidas Bellamy Jr., and Paula Louise Harcum; granddaughter, Lauren Nicole Bellamy Kudley, and her husband, Robert MacLaren Kudley; granddaughter, Kaitlyn Harcum Bellamy; great-grandson, MacLaren Hudson “Mac” Kudley; and great-granddaughter, Bellamy Harper “Ella” Kudley.
The family will receive friends from 7 to 8:30 p.m., Thursday, Feb. 21, at Amory Funeral Home. A memorial service will be held at 4 p.m., Friday, Feb. 22, at St. Mark Lutheran Church. A reception will follow in the church. Jim will be buried in Milwaukee Cemetery, Milwaukee, Northampton County, North Carolina, at a later date.
Should friends desire, donations may be made to St. Mark Lutheran Church, Gifts and Memorials, 118 Old York-Hampton Highway, Yorktown, VA 23692-4818.
