Lyndall Gene Beamer II

Lyndall Gene Beamer II, 64, of Annandale, Virginia, passed away on June 17, 2023 after a private, four-year battle with cancer. He passed peacefully at home surrounded by his loving family.

Lyn was born on June 12, 1959 to Lyndall Gene Beamer and Carol Beamer in Oak Park, Illinois. Lyn’s father worked for the State Department and their family moved numerous times before settling in Arlington, Virginia. After graduating from Yorktown High School in 1977, Lyn attended the University of Mississippi, Mary Washington University, and Indiana University. Lyn was a collegiate athlete and played tennis at the three universities he attended.

After graduating from Indiana University, Lyn began his exceptional career of service to national security and the Intelligence Community. He led cutting edge research and development programs, earning multiple national awards at the highest levels of the Department of Defense (DoD) and Office of the Director of National Intelligence.

Despite his economics background, Lyn was hired as a National Program Manager for DoD’s most cutting edge, high-risk research efforts at the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) in 2005. While at DARPA, he created five new technology starts and managed an overall portfolio of 12 programs. Additionally, Lyn’s project, EXACTO, created the first guided bullet and first foliage-penetrating radar.

After his time at DARPA, Lyn served as the following: National Intelligence Research Manager for the Intelligence Advanced Research Projects Agency (IARPA), Research Program Manager for the Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering, Senior Program Manager for Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory (APL), Emerging Capabilities Chief at Space Development Agency (SDA), and a Draper Lab Fellow.

Lyn was fiercely passionate about the Intelligence Community and was motivated by the extraordinary intellect and talent of his many friends and colleagues he had the pleasure of working with throughout his 40+ year career.

Lyn had a sharp mind and eccentric personality. You knew that Lyn liked you when he didn’t call you by your real name, but instead a cleverly constructed nickname that he believed fit you perfectly. He was known for wearing his favorite t-shirt stating, “Happiness is Positive Cash Flow” and a pair of blue-framed sunglasses. Lyn loved the stock market and investing. He had a wealth of knowledge regarding gorilla and bear strength and spent hours talking to experts at various zoos around the world. He was a self-described “Gym Rat” and self-motivated to keep in shape, which was necessary given his love for coffee, pastries, and desserts.

Nothing was more important to Lyn than his family. He was the beloved husband of his wife, Eileen Beamer; loving father to their children Matthew, Meghann (Cameron), and Ryan (Hannah); loving grandfather to Thomas; dear brother of Amy (Scott); and devoted son of the late Lyndall Gene Beamer and Carol Nielson Beamer.

A visitation will be celebrated at Money & King Funeral Home, 171 Maple Avenue West, Vienna, from 4-6 PM on June 29. Private burial will be at Columbia Gardens Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, a donation in memory of Lyn Beamer to support cancer research at St. Jude Research Hospital or Georgetown Lombardi Cancer Center would be appreciated. One can donate online at the links below.