Charles Warren Gaillard

1940 - 2020

Charles Warren Gaillard

Naples - Charles Warren Gaillard Age 79, of Naples, FL, died Sunday, June 14, 2020. He was born November 5, 1940 in Louisville, KY. Charlie lived a full and accomplished life. After graduating from Atherton High School in Louisville KY in 1958, Charlie attended Dartmouth College, graduating in 1962. He met his future wife, Jane Vanderweil of Cohasset MA, in the Hofbräuhaus in Munich while stationed in Germany as a ROTC tank platoon leader with the Army. The two married on June 24, 1967. Upon returning to the U.S., Charlie earned his MBA from Harvard Business School in 1966 and began his business career with an entry level position in marketing at General Mills in Minneapolis. He held roles of increasing responsibility within the Big G cereal and other divisions until his retirement as President of General Mills more than three decades later. Prior to his retirement, in a defining moment of his life and his career, Charlie was named chief executive of a new joint venture between General Mills and Nestle called Cereal Partners Worldwide (CPW) in 1990. He started CPW with 14 employees and grew it to $1B revenue in less than four years. Charlie and Jane lived in Switzerland during those years and spent many fond weekends traveling Europe together and with family and friends. Charlie had many personal interests and talents. As a lifelong lover of music, Charlie enjoyed playing guitar, singing, and sharing his music with his friends and family. From a raft on the Ohio river, to a 50's rock & roll band at Dartmouth, to many gatherings of friends throughout his life, Charlie's love of music was often a focal point and highlight of time with others. Charlie could often be found playing his music on a sailboat. He learned to sail on Lake Minnetonka MN with Jane in their first years of marriage and as with many things in his life, Charlie progressed rapidly. From small sailboats on Lake Minnetonka he soon led dozens of overnight sailing trips on Lake Superior and the Virgin Islands with family and friends. He ultimately owned his own 46' sailboat "Rocinante" in retirement, which brought many adventuresome and fond sailing memories for Jane and him. Once he retired from sailing, Charlie found a new passion as a part-time cowboy while living in Santa Fe and went from signing on a sailboat to singing by a campfire. This part of the country was perfect for Charlie's love of reading and history. He was constantly learning about local history wherever he, friends and family traveled. With his great memory, he loved to share stories and historical trivia wherever the family found itself. After a short battle with pancreatic cancer, Charlie died at home "in paradise" in Naples FL. He is survived by his wife Jane; son Andrew Blackman Gaillard, daughter-in-law Megan, and their three sons Jack, Henry, and William; son Charles Bradford ("Rusty") Gaillard, his partner Alexandra, and son Teddy; and sister Judith Gaillard Jones and brother-in-law Steavan. He was preceded in death by his parents, Warren Keller Gaillard and Josephine Blackman Gaillard. Memorials may be given to Habitat for Humanity of Collier County in Charlie's name. The family is planning a memorial service for Charlie on November 7 in Naples FL.