Henri Louis Beenhakker

Dr. Henri Beenhakker, an expert in global finance and risk management who enjoyed a long career as an academic and Principal Economist with the World Bank, died peacefully on December 13, 2022. He was 88.

Henri was born in Haarlem, a city in northwest Netherlands, on June 29, 1934. Although born in Holland, he lived most of his youth in Jakarta, Indonesia, the result of being raised by a father tied to the shipping lines that connected the Netherlands with its former colony. His otherwise ordinary childhood was abruptly suspended when Japan invaded and occupied Indonesia during World War II. Between the ages of 8 and 12, the young Henri Beenhakker was imprisoned with his family in a concentration camp, during which he was subjected to brutal conditions and prolonged periods of starvation. Soon after the surrender of Japan, they were freed and had to completely rebuild their lives after having lost everything.

After completing his secondary education in Jakarta, Henri moved to Delft, Netherlands, for college. In the early 1960s, he moved to the United States for graduate school and received his PhD in Economics in 1964. Henri’s primary area of expertise focused on capital investment planning and risk management, particularly for rural and developing regions. In his early career, he worked for Stanford Research Institute and the University of Iowa, serving there as chair of Iowa’s Industrial and Mechanical Engineering Department. Henri spent the majority of his career at the World Bank as a Principal Economist. Much of his professional efforts aimed to modernize the rural transportation infrastructure in North Africa. His enthusiasm for this subject matter is exemplified in his seven published books on technical topics ranging from The Global Economy and International Financing to Rural Transport Services: A Guide To Their Planning And Execution. After formally retiring from the World Bank, Henri reconnected with his passion for teaching and served as adjunct faculty for the Johns Hopkins University School of Advanced International Studies.

Throughout his career, Henri worked in dozens of countries in South America, Africa and the Middle East. He lived in Brazil, Saudi Arabia, Thailand, Indonesia, Holland and the U.S., and spoke five languages. During his retirement, he shared his love for international travel with his wife, Waltraut Karoline Beenhakker. During their 58 years of marriage, the couple visited all corners of the world.

Henri’s passion for specialized economic strategies targeted at developing countries was only eclipsed by his love and devotion to his wife and children. Although deprived of a normal childhood – or, possibly, in reaction to such deprivation – Henri was abundantly successful at providing for his family. With Waltraut, he raised his three children primarily in Bethesda, Maryland. Henri cherished his time with his wife, children, and grandchildren. Whether it was cruising around in an electric boat on an Austrian lake, comfortably unwinding in a relaxing hot tub, or taking a brisk walk in his Bethesda neighborhood, Henri always preferred to do so with his family. It was during these times that Henri simply wanted to be Dad and to spend time enjoying moments with his wife and children.

Resilience, hard work, and the drive to realize the American dream defined the life and career of Henri. From unimaginable challenges as a child, he channeled his mathematical and analytical skills into a formal education that enabled him to start anew in the United States. With a distinguished career as an educator, author and economist, and by living every moment as a devoted husband and father, he realized his American dreams many times over. In his characteristically understated way, Henri’s impact on his friends and family was profound and positive. He is survived by his wife Waltraut Karoline Beenhakker, daughter Barbara Beenhakker, son Mark Beenhakker, and daughter Britta (Beenhakker) Mullany, in addition to his daughter-in-law Judy Beenhakker and sons-in-law Brian Parr & Luke Mullany, and seven grandchildren Sophia, Nicolas, Annika, Liesel, Hayden, Connor & Athira. He is predeceased by his twin brother, Arie Beenhakker, and sister, Lotty Beenhakker DeVries.

Donations can be made in honor of Henri to The Alzheimer's Association .

A live stream of the services can be viewed at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kVfg3GIDrQk