Obituary

Retired U.S. Army Colonel Joseph L. Van Camp, of Richmond, Virginia, native of Charleston, West Virginia, passed away Saturday, May 20, 2006. He was preceded in death by his parents, Paul and Mary Jane Gillispie Van Camp and his first wife Ingrid E. Van Camp. He is survived by his wife Edna M. Van Camp; children Paul and Julie Van Camp, Rebecca and James Maguire, Lisa Gewin and Kenny Norris; grandchildren Joe Maguire, Lindsay Maguire, Jenna Van Camp and Jack Van Camp; sister Janellyn Whittier; brothers Jimmie Van Camp, John Van Camp and Jerold Van Camp. Col. Van Camp was a graduate of South Charleston High School in Charleston, West Virginia. He received a Bachelor’s degree in Education from Ohio University, where he was the President of the local chapter of Kappa Delta Pi. He received a Master of Science degree in Management of National Resources from George Washington University, and his military education includes the Command and General Staff College and the Industrial College of the Armed Forces at the National Defense University. He was commissioned in the U.S. Army Quartermaster Corps in 1953. He was platoon leader of a petroleum supply company in Germany; company commander of infantry in the 60th Infantry Regiment; in combat in Vietnam in command of the 25th Supply and Transport Battalion; and served in the 25th Infantry Division, the 277th Supply and Service Battalion, and the 29th Support Group. While on the Army General Staff in the Pentagon, he was assigned to the Office of the Deputy Chief of Staff for Personnel, and the Office of the Chief of Staff engaged in military personnel. As a member of the Joint Staff, he was engaged as a Division Chief for development of the Chairman’s Logistics Posture Statement and as Chief of the Logistics Interoperability Task Force with the U.S. Military Representative to the NATO Military Committee in 1976. He was involved in actions related to the Middle East War of 1973 and the impact of the oil embargo on the United States. As Commander Support Command, 6th Infantry Division (Mechanized), he participated in two REFORGER exercises in 1977-78. In 1978, he was Assistant Commandant, U.S. Army Quartermaster School, Fort Lee, Virginia. Col. Van Camp completed his thirty-year military career in 1983, as the Commandant of the U.S. Army Command General Staff College at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas. His decorations and awards include the Legion of Merit with two Oak Leaf Clusters, Bronze Star Medal with Oak Leaf Cluster, Meritorious Service Medal, Joint Service Commendation Medal, Army Commendation Medal with Oak Leaf Cluster, the Army General Staff Badge, the Joint Staff Badge, and Parachute Badge. He later worked for FMC as a Staff Operations Research Analyst, Operations Analysis, U.S. Defense Program Manager for Combat Support Vehicles, Product Development Manager for Logistics Systems for the Armored Maintenance Vehicle Bradley (REFORGER 1988), Derivatives Program Manager, and Regional Manager in Marketing. In retirement, he served the Army Quartermaster Foundation at Ft. Lee, Virginia, in support of the U.S. Army Quartermaster Museum. The family will receive friends 6 to 8 p.m. on Friday, May 26, 2006, at the Morrissett Funeral Home, 6500 Iron Bridge Rd. (Rt. 10), Richmond, VA. His funeral service with full military honors will be held 11 a.m. on Thursday, July 27, 2006, at Arlington National Cemetery in the Ft. Myer Chapel. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests that donations be made to the National Heart Association, P.O. Box 5216, Glen Allen, VA 23058-5216.