Wayne Mullane, 66; Aerospace Firm Executive

Services for L. Wayne Mullane, retired Aerojet-General Corp. executive vice president and former naval aviator, were conducted June 19 at St. John’s Catholic Church in Encinitas.

Mullane, 66, died June 14 after a brief illness.

He joined Aerojet-General after 14 years in naval aviation, heading various divisions for the company and working on numerous rocket programs. In the 1960s Mullane was selected by Aerojet to head its Watts Manufacturing Co. It was the first of the companies started in an effort to provide employment in the South-Central area after the 1965 Watts riots.

Mullane was born in Minneapolis, was graduated from the University of Minnesota with a degree in chemical engineering and earned a master’s degree in aeronautical engineering from Caltech.

He was a longtime resident of Fullerton, but the family residence now is in Leucadia in San Diego County.

He leaves his wife, Dolores, seven children and three grandchildren.