Harvey Beeferman, 1942–2024
Harvey Beeferman, 82, passed away peacefully on August 11, 2024 at his home in Bluffton, South Carolina, surrounded by family.
Harvey married Eileen McHenry in 2013 and they lived a life of adventure and enrichment, traveling abroad to 39 countries,and sharing in the joy of raising 6 grandkids.
He was born in Brooklyn, New York, in 1942, and graduated from Brooklyn Technical High School in 1959. He earned a bachelor's degree in chemical engineering from Purdue University in 1963 and an MBA from the University of Chicago in 1967 while working in industry. He spent the first half of his career working for a paint and coatings company called DeSoto, first as a chemical engineer, later as the president of its Canadian subsidiary, and finally as the vice president of research and development of the company, where he was beloved by a staff of more than 100 scientists and engineers.
He retired from the corporate world in 1992, moving from suburban Chicago to his family’s favorite vacation spot, Sea Pines on Hilton Head Island, and later to Bluffton. In 2000, he co-founded Datamuse, a venture that makes educational websites, with his son. He managed the business and customer support aspects of the company for more than 24 years, including the popular reference website RhymeZone, used billions of times by songwriters and poets during his tenure with the company.
Harvey was an active volunteer throughout his time in the Lowcountry, heading up the Hilton Head Island Computer Club for many years. He also gave technical assistance to countless local nonprofits, creating their websites and becoming the “go-to” person for computer help for all of his friends and neighbors. In his free time he enjoyed going to jazz and classical performances with Eileen, and for decades he had a daily regimen of walking, cycling, and swimming.
Harvey gave love and support tirelessly and boundlessly to his family. He is survived by his wife Eileen Wolf McHenry; his sons Daniel Beeferman (Kimberly Beeferman) and Doug Beeferman (Yong Lee); his step-daughters Lauren Greenwood (Jeff Greenwood) and Barbara Brown (Westfield Brown); his step-son Joseph McHenry; his grandsons Cade, Remington, Stellan, Wescott, and Whitten; and his granddaughter Lachlan. He is predeceased by Bonnie (Simons) Beeferman, his first wife and the mother of his children.
The family will host a celebration of life for Harvey at a later date. If you wish to honor Harvey’s memory, the family requests that you make a donation to Bluffton Self Help or Hospice Care of the Lowcountry.
The Celebration of Life for Harvey was held in Bluffton on September 27, 2024. Here are some materials from it for those who couldn't attend: