Service Details

A funeral mass will be held on Friday, September 9th at 10am at Mission San Diego de Alcala in San Diego. A small reception will follow.

The Story

After a valiant battle to regain his health, David W. Qualls passed away on August 17, 2016, surrounded by his family who loved him and miss him greatly.

David was born on July 3, 1945 in El Paso, Texas to Ralph and Margaret Qualls. His family later moved to Fresno, California where he graduated from Bullard High School in 1963 and from Fresno State University in 1967 with a degree in History. In 1968 he entered the Navy, and upon graduating from OCS in 1969, he worked in the Supply Corps where he was sent on multiple deployments. He received his MBA from University of Virginia in 1975, and went on to achieve the rank of Lieutenant Commander. He eventually retired from active duty, but remained in the Naval Reserves, retiring with the rank of Commander.

Upon active duty retirement, he entered the business world in 1986. He started working for Garden Fresh Corporation, the parent company of Souplantation and Sweet Tomatoes. He worked for Garden Fresh for 22 years as Chief Financial Officer and later as President, helping the restaurant chain grow from just 2 to 115 locations. He also helped take the company from privately owned to a publicly traded company, and later retired in 2008.

David enjoyed travelling with his wife, Lynne, playing and watching soccer, and was an avid fan at his grandchildren’s sporting events. He is remembered for his integrity, his generosity, and his keen sense of humor. David is survived by Lynne, his daughter and son-in-law, Michelle and Ed Radley, his son and daughter-in-law, Chris and Alice Qualls, his son and daughter-in-law, Christopher and Erin Hohler, and his 6 beautiful grandchildren, Jack, Seamus, McKenna, Mason, Landon, and Haley. He is also survived by his brother, Ralph Qualls and sister, Betsy Verras.

David’s ashes will be interred at Miramar National Cemetery.