Henry Alvin Meinhardt Jr., 82, of West Palm Beach, Fla., formerly of Brandywine, Md., died at Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore, Md., on Saturday, August 29, 2015.

Born May 9, 1933, in Washington, D.C., he was the son of the late Henry Alvin Meinhardt Sr. and the late Juliana Manning Meinhardt.

Mr. Meinhardt Jr. (better known as Alvin) was the owner and operator of Brandywine Companies. His father, Henry Alvin Meinhardt Sr., founded Brandywine Sales & Service in 1927, and Alvin began working for the family business after he left the Marine Corp. in 1954.

In the trucking and heavy construction equipment industry, Mr. Meinhardt Jr. was known and respected for being an honest man.

“He was a mentor, like a father figure to many people in the industry,” said his son, Henry A. Meinhardt III, president of Brandywine Truck and Equipment. “The customers knew that he had a lot of integrity … he had a stellar reputation. He really did. Alvin loved the construction equipment and truck industry. Among his favorite business-related activities was attending auctions and finding bargains.”

Alvin worked and succeeded in business during a time when handshake deals could still be done.

“He has a very serious man and he was trustworthy,” Meinhardt III said. “His word was his bond. He led by example. His actions spoke louder than any words he ever expressed. I learned from my father to always be honest with people and to do what you say you are going to do.”

Despite ailing from cancer, he continued to work daily and was constantly busy doing things for people, his employees and his community.

Mr. Meinhardt Jr. was the Past Commander of the American Legion Post 227 in Brandywine, a lifetime member of the VFW 9376, past president of Brandywine Lions Club, member of the Waldorf Elks, chair for UCLA Kidney Cancer Research. He was a sergeant in the United States Marine Corp during the Korean conflict.

Meinhardt III said “his father enjoyed reading, golfing, his personal garden, deep sea fishing, heavy equipment auctions, real estate investing, and the stock market. He was a devoted family man and had strong faith in Christ. His passions in life were his wife Carrie, with whom he was married for 60 years, his family and his friends.”

Mr. Meinhardt Jr. is survived by his loving wife, Carrie Lea Fulks Meinhardt and his children, Cindy Williams (Randy), Henry A. Meinhardt III (Christine) and David Meinhardt (Connie), his brother Walter Meinhardt (Kay), brother-in-law Melvin Warden (Selma, predeceased). Mr. Meinhardt had 11 grandchildren, Carrie (Greg) Cusick, Randall (Kayla) Williams, Abby (Bill) McClintock, Henry A. Meinhardt IV, Katherine Meinhardt, Haymond Meinhardt, Hannah Meinhardt, Julianna Meinhardt, Clarissa Meinhardt, CJ Meinhardt, Dylan Meinhardt; great grandchildren, Charlotte, Finn and Evelyn Cusick, Lula and Juniper McClintock.

Services were held Sept. 3, 2015, at Brinsfield-Echols Funeral Home, P.A., 30195 Three Notch Road, Charlotte Hall, Maryland. A Committal Service was held Sept. 4 at Cheltenham Veterans Cemetery, 11301 Crain Highway, Cheltenham, Md.

Pallbearers were Randall Williams, Hank Meinhardt, Haymond Meinhardt, CJ Meinhardt, Greg Cusick and Bill McClintock; honorary pallbearer was Dylan Meinhardt. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Wounded Warrior Project at www.woundedwarriorproject.org.

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