Retired Fairfax County Board Supervisor Gerry Hyland comments at the dedication and renaming of the South County Government Building to the Gerry W. Hyland Building on September 20, 2019. The name change honored Hyland, the Mount Vernon District representative on the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors from 1988-2015.
Gerald W. “Gerry” Hyland, 88, retired Mount Vernon District Supervisor of seven terms (1988-2015), died over the weekend.
The week after Hyland announced on Jan. 31, 2015, that he was retiring, his daughter, Christina Gigi Hyland,
wrote "A Daughter's Perspective." In it, she says, "If you believe in things as fate-filled as ‘callings,’ my Dad's calling has always been to be a public servant. … My Dad is really about one thing, above all else -- helping people." She goes on to say that it sounds "deceptively simple," helping people, but "at its toughest, ‘helping people’ is messy, frustrating, complex, and often exhausting. … Not for Dad. He always has and always will take that 6'3" frame and those size 14 feet and wade barefoot into the swirling waters of an issue because someone (or many someones) needs help. And he does it with the utmost patience and grace."
In 2019, at the Sept. 20 dedication of the Gerry W. Hyland Building, formerly named the South County Government Center, Hyland said, "I miss being your supervisor, the best job I ever had."
Elected in November 1987, a Washington Post story described Hyland as someone who "knows how to get things done." Hyland "had himself thrown in jail and wouldn't come out until he had raised $10,000 for charity."
As a new supervisor, Hyland said the top priority on his agenda was to encourage continued redevelopment of the Rt. 1 corridor.
Hyland announced his retirement early in 2015. Sue Langley, chair of the Fairfax County Democratic Committee, said in a statement that "his tireless devotion to the citizens of the Mount Vernon District will be difficult to replace."
As a supervisor, Hyland had many achievements. Among them are that he insisted upon the expansion of the Mount Vernon Hospital rather than closing it, started a new farmers market in Lorton, increased police patrols in the Richmond Highway corridor reducing the crime rate in the Mount Vernon area, and is credited on creating one of Fairfax County's first dog parks.
Hyland supported expanding the trails in Mount Vernon and the County and created a park and golf course in the Lorton community. Before he retired, Hyland won his fight and supported the community in closing the Lorton Landfill.
Hyland also started the tradition of the Mount Vernon Annual Town Meeting, which will celebrate its 38th event this year, according to Supervisor Dan Storck, who won his empty seat.
During his tenure as supervisor, Hyland earned the nickname, "Mr. Pothole;" because he aggressively pursued road improvements and street repairs in his district.
Just because Hyland retired does not mean he stopped advocating for his Mount Vernon community.
In December 2021, Hyland wrote a letter to the "Special Masters" at the Supreme Court of Virginia regarding their proposed redistricting map in the area of Fairfax County that he had represented for 28 years. He signed it, "Very Truly Yours, Gerald W. Hyland. Retired Mount Vernon District Supervisor."
Hyland urged the court to "create one delegate seat for the Mount Vernon Community and a separate delegate seat for the Lee Community (you call it ‘Franconia’ in your memorandum)," writing that it "better aligns the delegate seats with the communities that actually exist." A master of facts and the use of visuals, he included five maps in his letter.
According to Fairfax County public affairs, “Hyland also served as chairman of the Virginia Railway Express and is a past president of the Virginia Association of Counties. He has served as a board member of the Northern Virginia Transportation Commission, the Washington Metropolitan Council of Governments, the Environmental Policy Committee, the Woodrow Wilson Bridge Improvement Study Coordinating Committee, the Metropolitan Washington Air Quality Committee, the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority and the Board of Zoning Appeals.”
Hyland was born and raised in Holden, Massachusetts. He graduated from the College of Holy Cross and received a law degree from Georgetown University in 1962. He earned a master's degree in taxation from George Washington University. Hyland served as a colonel in the Air Force Reserves and was past president of United Community Ministries.
The final paragraph of Christina Gigi Hyland's "A Daughter's Perspective" reads: "My Dad is the living embodiment of the quote from Quaker missionary Stephen Grellet: ‘I shall pass through this world but once. Any good that I can do or any kindness that I can show to any human being, let me do it now. Let me not defer or neglect it, for I shall not pass this way again.’ That's my Dad. And I am so proud of him."
Many local people are posting memories and tributes:
"I'm deeply saddened to share the loss of a community pillar, a true patriot, Mount Vernon leader for 30+ years, my friend and mentor, Gerry Hyland. He was committed to doing things right for the right reasons and challenged us all to be our best selves. We honored Gerry for his deep commitment and many successes in our community by renaming the South County Government Center after him in 2019. Gerry was notorious for his puns, sharp legal mind, and for being a leader who listens. As we celebrate his life, each one of us should find a way to be of service to others, as he was to all of us. I hope you will join me to celebrate him at the 38th Annual Town Meeting on Feb. 8, where we can further honor his life and the town meeting tradition that he started.”
— Mount Vernon District Supervisor Dan Storck
“Deeply saddened to learn of the passing of longtime Mount Vernon Supervisor Gerry Hyland. He was a good friend and stalwart advocate for his constituents. He was a consequential public servant who will be missed by all of Fairfax County.”
— Rep. Gerry Connolly @GerryConnolly
"He was the quintessential public servant who loved helping people every chance he could get. I'm so glad he was my political mentor and personal friend. He taught me a lot and was always there for me too like when he eulogized my parents at their funeral. God bless you Gerry."
— Paul Krizek @KrizekForVA
"Gerry Hyland, former Fairfax County Supervisor (Mount Vernon District), was like family for me having lost my own. He was like a great uncle or second father. He cared so much for people and was always there to lend a helping hand. Thank you for being my champion and a champion for all."
— Lisa "ERA" Sales @CABlueBlaze
“Gerry was passionate about his constituents and served on countless regional, statewide, and national organizations. He loved his community and spent decades working to improve the lives of everyone whom he served. Gerry was a leader in every sense, but particularly when it came to providing services to our most vulnerable residents and promoting the revitalization of the Richmond Highway Corridor. He was especially proud of his work protecting the many historical properties in his district. “He always advocated for those who had no voice and those who needed county services and support. Gerry led with his heart.
“Gerry’s quick wit and good humor made him a joy to serve with and made him very effective. He never took himself too seriously and always had a pun ready about any situation he found himself in.
“Most importantly Gerry was a friend and mentor who will be deeply missed. His successes can be seen everywhere in Mount Vernon District and I am so proud the South County Center was renamed the “Gerry Hyland Government Center” in 2019 to honor the decades of service Gerry provided to our residents.’
— Jeff McKay, Chairman, Board of Supervisors