Gary W. Garland

1948 - 2022

Gary W. Garland died on April 11, 2022, after a prolonged illness. Gary had been retired for 14 years from QUALCOMM Inc. where he served as a Vice President and General Manager of the Government Division.
Gary was born February 20, 1948 in Shreveport, Louisiana to William C. and Anna Ruth Garland. The family moved to Sacramento when Gary was eleven, and that is where he grew up. Gary attended Stanford University from 1966 to 1970, where he graduated with an undergraduate degree in Psychology.
He then went to flight school where he earned his wings of gold and was assigned to Fighter Squadron 124 for type training in the F-8 Crusader, a single seat, single engine fighter jet, and after completing training was assigned to Fighter Squadron Twenty Four, VF-24. He completed two cruises to the Western Pacific on the USS Hancock where he served during the end of the Vietnam War and accumulated hundreds of carrier landings, both day and night. He represented his Squadron for Navy Fighter Weapons School (Top Gun) training.
Gary left the Navy in May of 1979 and joined Continental Airlines for three years, serving as a crew member flying the Boeing 727. After being furloughed during a massive airline downsizing in 1982, he joined the Tactical and Training Systems Division of Logicon, and chose not to return to the airlines when he was recalled. He stayed at Logicon for 10 years where he worked his way up to the director of Business Development. He specialized in sophisticated Air Traffic Control Radar and Tower Training systems for the FAA and the United States Navy.
Gary joined QUALCOMM in 1992 as a Director, chartered to capture new business with the Government. He helped develop and grow enough new business that the government group eventually became a stand-alone Government Division. He was promoted to Vice President two years after joining the company. He also led QUALCOMM's Digital Cinema efforts in partnership with Technicolor to revolutionize the film industry away from 35mm film and into digital media. Gary served as the VP and General Manager of the Government Division for his last eight years at the company. He retired from Qualcomm in 2008.
Gary was an avid golfer and joined the Bridges of Rancho Santa Fe in 2000 where he served on a number of Handicap and Golf committees during his time as a member.
Gary is survived by his mother Anne Garland, his brother Thomas, his sons Ryan and Travis and his stepdaughters Lauren Holtz and Jackie Mellor and her husband Mark Mellor. He was fortunate to live just two miles from his grandchildren, Kaitlyn and Jake Mellor.
Services will be held at Miramar National Cemetery at 5795 Nobel Drive, San Diego on June 6, 2022 at 11:30am with a reception to follow.
In lieu of flowers, consider donating to the Polycystic Kidney Disease charity, very important to Gary, at www.pkdcure.org.