Richard Albert Wallner

In Memory of Richard A. Wallner

Richard A. Wallner was born on June 25, 1933, in Queens, New York. The eldest of five children, he grew up with a quick wit, a natural inclination to question the obvious, and a firm belief that elephants in the room are meant to be called out. That frankness —admired by some, feared by many—became both a hallmark of his career and a source of lifelong pride.

Richard's life is a testament to curiosity and the unexpected turns that become home. Shortly after his first marriage, he and his wife, Marlene, drove from New Jersey to California with a plan to return East—he never did. Instead, he built a life rooted in innovation, family, humor, and adventure. He spent his years insisting that things could always be improved, often pointing out every flaw, and yet leaving every place—and most people—better than he found them.

Richard earned his Master of Science in Electrical Engineering from Columbia University, launching a distinguished career that spanned five decades in aerospace, defense, and government contracting. He began his work in 1958 at Lockheed Missiles & Space in Sunnyvale, California, where he served as a Program Manager on numerous national defense initiatives, most notably Program Talon Gold, which was part of the Strategic Defense Initiative, also known as "Star Wars."

In 1991, Richard joined SAIC in San Diego as Vice President of Fixed Price Contracts. Known as the "tough guy in the room," he was respected for his ability to safeguard complex programs and hold firm when the stakes were high. Among his achievements, he served as Technology Program Manager for the Greek Olympics, a project he often joked proved that herding cats had nothing on global technology delivery. He retired from SAIC in 2008 at the age of 72.

Despite his formidable professional reputation, those who knew him personally saw a man who never stopped learning. After retirement, Richard and his second wife, Sharon, moved to Ocean Colony in Half Moon Bay, where they learned to golf, traveled the world with friends, and filled their life together with laughter, wine, and stories. With Sharon's passing, he remained deeply connected to family, embracing the roles of grandfather and great-grandfather with the same intensity he once brought to fixed-price negotiations. He especially cherished time with his grandchildren, as well as his lifelong passion for trains—always happiest near a track, a timetable, and a camera.

Richard was predeceased by his wife, Sharon Sinclair Wallner, and sister, Nancy Lodema. He is survived by his first wife, Marlene Riley, his children: Chris Wallner (Anne), Pattie Wallner, and John Wallner (Shannon), his grandchildren Katy Wallner, Jack Wallner (Elsa), Matt Wallner (Raena), Emily Wallner, Sean Upshaw, and Isabella Upshaw, and by his great-grandchild, Adeline Wallner. He is also survived by his brother Robert Wallner, his sisters Patricia Van Kleef (Al), and Jean Bayer (Dick); by Sharon's children, Barry Upshaw (Rochelle) and Bridget Upshaw; and by his former daughter-in-law, Anne-Mette Upshaw.

He will be deeply missed and forever appreciated by those who learned from his brilliance and loved him for exactly who he was.

Contributions in Richard Wallner's memory may be made to Hospice of Petaluma, or to Institute on Aging (ioaging.org/donate/), the organization that provided Caregiver Coaching to the family over the past year.