The Delta Air Lines family is mourning the passing of former CEO and Chairman David Clyde Garrett Jr., who served the airline for four decades. Dave joined Delta in 1946 as a reservations agent. He became president in 1971, and was Delta’s chief executive officer from 1978 until his retirement in 1987. He remained on the board until 1994. “He was a great leader of Delta and we are sad at his passing but so thankful for the great legacy he left behind at Delta,” said Richard Anderson, Delta’s CEO. “From the Delta family, we extend our condolences to his family.” Dave Garrett died on June 2 at his home in Georgia. His son, Dave Garrett III, fondly remembers his father taking coffee to employees at the airport on cold days. “Delta people cannot imagine how important they were to him,” he said. “From the time I was a little guy, Delta was part of our family. And whenever he talked about what made Delta great, it was about the people.” Upon learning of Dave’s passing, Delta former CEO Jerry Grinstein said, “Dave Garrett was the very embodiment of Delta - a keeper of its invaluable traditions but also a leader who led the expansion into the Western U.S., elevating the airline into a powerful national carrier.” He added, “It was during Dave's tenure that the people of Delta gave a 767 to the company, a perfect symbol of what makes Delta unique. That gift also represents the continuing trust and respect at every level of the company that is Dave's very special legacy.” An article that ran Oct. 27, 1994 in the Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported David C. Garrett saying that his most precious memory was in [1982] when Delta employees raised enough money to purchase a Boeing 767 for the airline. He called it a “great day, a very emotional day.” On June 10, 2009, Delta dedicated a Boeing 777-200LR aircraft to Dave as a testament to his leadership and the important role he played in Delta’s history. A memorial service and reception are planned for Tuesday, June 12, in the Delta Air Transport Heritage Museum’s Hangar Two at Delta’s world headquarters, 1060 Delta Boulevard, Atlanta, GA 30354, beginning at 11:00 a.m. Directional signage will lead to parking for the service. Personal condolences may be sent to the Garrett family at P.O. Box 549, Dawsonville, GA 30534-0011. In lieu of flowers, the family has asked that donations be sent to the Presbyterian Home of Georgia: http://presbyterianhomesinc.org/donate.html