Obituary for Fredrick Victor Garcia
Fredrick Victor Garcia, 82, of Colorado Springs, Colorado, passed away surrounded by family on July 22, 2022.
Fredrick was born October 10, 1939, in Silver Springs, Maryland. After graduating from Archbishop Carroll High School, in 1957, he enlisted in the Air Force in August 1957.
He proudly served his country for 24 years, 14 years as an enlisted member and 10 years as a commissioned officer. His highly decorated Air Force career included serving in the Republic of Vietnam at Tan Son Nhut, Nha Trang, and various locations in the Mekong Delta. Also, his Air Force career included airborne electronics maintenance, extensive Space operations as well as testing and exercising the end-to-end communications and operations of the Space Network System. He participated in the Apollo/Soyuz Missions in 1975 as the Surveillance Officer from within the Cheyenne Mountain Complex. He also supported two of the three manned launches for the Skylab Program. Finally, he participated in the initial 1981 Space Shuttle flight as a liaison officer to predict and track the footprint of the First Shuttle Vehicle.
During Fredrick's Air Force career after his tours in Vietnam he was stationed in Honolulu Hawaii, where he received his Radio Telephone Third Class Operator Permit from the US Federal Communication Commission on December 29, 1966. He was also stationed in Dover Delaware, Altus Oklahoma and finally ended his career in Colorado Springs, Colorado at the Cheyenne Mountain Complex.
Upon retiring from the Air Force in 1981, he continued to work in the Aerospace Industry as a Systems Engineer working with the Space Shuttle program and for the Army's All Source Analysis System (ASAS) as the Test Manager for Security Accreditation. He also worked on the Granite Sentry program, initially as a Systems Engineer, and finally as an assistant Program Manager.
Fredrick achieved his lifelong dream of achieving a pilot’s license and on May 12, 1972, he took his first Solo flight from Peterson Field in a Cessna 172.
In 1986 he founded System Research Group, Inc (SRG). The early years of SRG focused on Computer Aided Design (CAD) using commercial software to develop topographical maps for numerous architectural, oil exploration, and other commercial businesses. Some of the contracts included the Air Force Equipment Management Systems (AFEMS), Navel Standard Integrated Personnel System (NSIPS). his work with the National Earthquake Information Center (USGS NEIC) included collecting, analyzes and processes seismic data for scientific analysis and research. Other contracts included working with the Environmental Protection Agency support in region 7, Joint Primary Aircraft Training System (JPATS) as a subcontractor to Flight Safety Services Corp. His contract with National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) created Science of a Sphere (SOS). Science on a Sphere is an animated globe that NOAA uses to show dynamic, animated images of the atmosphere, oceans and land in order to increase public understanding of the environment.
Fred was predeceased by his first wife, Simone (Shovlin), and his son Frederick. He leaves behind his wife, Margery (Cunningham), brother Charles (Beverly), and two daughters, Maria: Tina Brown (Dan). He was also the proud grandfather of four grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.
A visitation will be held at Evergreen Funeral Home, 1830 E. Fountain, Colorado Springs, CO 80910 on August 1, 2022, from 9:30 -10 am.
A graveside ceremony will be held at Evergreen Cemetery, 1005 Hancock Expressway, Colorado Springs, CO 80903 on August 1, 2022, at 11:30 am.
An informal, casual reception will be held at Susan Cunningham-Garcia’s home on August 1,2022 at 1 pm.
The family requests that donations be made to the Disabled American Veterans in lieu of flowers
Fredrick was born October 10, 1939, in Silver Springs, Maryland. After graduating from Archbishop Carroll High School, in 1957, he enlisted in the Air Force in August 1957.
He proudly served his country for 24 years, 14 years as an enlisted member and 10 years as a commissioned officer. His highly decorated Air Force career included serving in the Republic of Vietnam at Tan Son Nhut, Nha Trang, and various locations in the Mekong Delta. Also, his Air Force career included airborne electronics maintenance, extensive Space operations as well as testing and exercising the end-to-end communications and operations of the Space Network System. He participated in the Apollo/Soyuz Missions in 1975 as the Surveillance Officer from within the Cheyenne Mountain Complex. He also supported two of the three manned launches for the Skylab Program. Finally, he participated in the initial 1981 Space Shuttle flight as a liaison officer to predict and track the footprint of the First Shuttle Vehicle.
During Fredrick's Air Force career after his tours in Vietnam he was stationed in Honolulu Hawaii, where he received his Radio Telephone Third Class Operator Permit from the US Federal Communication Commission on December 29, 1966. He was also stationed in Dover Delaware, Altus Oklahoma and finally ended his career in Colorado Springs, Colorado at the Cheyenne Mountain Complex.
Upon retiring from the Air Force in 1981, he continued to work in the Aerospace Industry as a Systems Engineer working with the Space Shuttle program and for the Army's All Source Analysis System (ASAS) as the Test Manager for Security Accreditation. He also worked on the Granite Sentry program, initially as a Systems Engineer, and finally as an assistant Program Manager.
Fredrick achieved his lifelong dream of achieving a pilot’s license and on May 12, 1972, he took his first Solo flight from Peterson Field in a Cessna 172.
In 1986 he founded System Research Group, Inc (SRG). The early years of SRG focused on Computer Aided Design (CAD) using commercial software to develop topographical maps for numerous architectural, oil exploration, and other commercial businesses. Some of the contracts included the Air Force Equipment Management Systems (AFEMS), Navel Standard Integrated Personnel System (NSIPS). his work with the National Earthquake Information Center (USGS NEIC) included collecting, analyzes and processes seismic data for scientific analysis and research. Other contracts included working with the Environmental Protection Agency support in region 7, Joint Primary Aircraft Training System (JPATS) as a subcontractor to Flight Safety Services Corp. His contract with National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) created Science of a Sphere (SOS). Science on a Sphere is an animated globe that NOAA uses to show dynamic, animated images of the atmosphere, oceans and land in order to increase public understanding of the environment.
Fred was predeceased by his first wife, Simone (Shovlin), and his son Frederick. He leaves behind his wife, Margery (Cunningham), brother Charles (Beverly), and two daughters, Maria: Tina Brown (Dan). He was also the proud grandfather of four grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.
A visitation will be held at Evergreen Funeral Home, 1830 E. Fountain, Colorado Springs, CO 80910 on August 1, 2022, from 9:30 -10 am.
A graveside ceremony will be held at Evergreen Cemetery, 1005 Hancock Expressway, Colorado Springs, CO 80903 on August 1, 2022, at 11:30 am.
An informal, casual reception will be held at Susan Cunningham-Garcia’s home on August 1,2022 at 1 pm.
The family requests that donations be made to the Disabled American Veterans in lieu of flowers