SATELLITE BEACH -- George Martin Skurla, 80, died Sunday, September 2, 2001, at Holmes Regional Medical Center in Melbourne, Fla.
Mr. Skurla was born in Newark, N.J., on July 2, 1921, attended the public schools of Newark and West Orange and received his Bachelor of Science degree in Aeronautical Engineering from the University of Michigan.
After completing his college training in 1944, Mr. Skurla joined Grumman Aircraft Engineering Corporation as an apprentice engineer. After an apprenticeship in the production shop, he served in the stress and research departments before being appointed chief of structural flight test in 1950. After a four-year assignment as chief engineer for Aerobilt Bodies, Inc., a division of Grumman engaged in manufacturing aluminum truck bodies and other transportation products, he returned to the parent firm in 1960, serving as manager of corporate commercial product development and, later, as assistant director of flight test.
In 1965, Mr. Skurla was named director of operations for Grumman at the National Aeronautics and Space Administration's (NASA) Kennedy Space Center. In that position, he brought together the 1,600-man Grumman team responsible for the final assembly, test and pre-launch checkout for the Apollo lunar module vehicle.
The LM spacecraft - designed, developed and produced by Grumman, was the final stage in NASA's Apollo Program, which landed American astronauts on the surface of the moon.
Mr. Skurla was elected a vice president by the board of directors of the Grumman Aerospace Corporation in February 1970 before returning to Bethpage, N.Y. as director of product engineering for all aircraft and spacecraft programs.
In June of 1973, Mr. Skurla was named general manager of operations at Grumman's Calverton facility on Long Island, the major final assembly and test site for the F-14 Tomcat fighter, EA-6B Prowler and A-6E Intruder aircraft.
On March 21, 1974, Mr. Skurla was elected president and chief operating officer of Grumman Aerospace Corporation. On that same date, he also was elected to the board of the parent company, Grumman Corporation. Mr. Skurla was elected chairman of the board and chief executive officer of Grumman Aerospace Corporation on January 1, 1976.
Mr. Skurla was elected president of the parent company, Grumman Corporation, on February 14, 1985, until he retired from Grumman Corporation on July 31, 1986.
He became a senior management consultant to Grumman Corporation upon his retirement as its president on August 1, 1986.

His illustrious career spanned five decades. In the words of former Grumman chairman, John C. Bierwirth, "Skurla devoted over 40 years to the company and brought his management talents to bear on programs such as the U. S. Navy's F-14 Tomcat fighter and NASA's Apollo lunar module. His contributions benefited not only the company, but the entire country''. He was also a past member of the Board of Directors of Long Island Trust Company, N.A., and was a trustee of the Florida Institute of Technology, Adelphi University and the Naval Aviation Museum Foundation. He also served as a past panel member of the United Nations Association of the United States of America on U.S./Japan policy toward the Soviet Union. Mr. Skurla holds or has held memberships in the many professional society and civic associations including, National Space Club, President's Advisory Council for Long Island, Polytechnic Institute of New York, Urban League of Long Island, Long Island Association, Air Force Academy Foundation, Flight Safety Foundation, Association of Naval Aviation, Florida.