Raymond Arthur Irish Dunn

June 28, 1962 – August 1, 2026

Raymond Arthur Irish Dunn was born on June 28, 1962, in Los Angeles, California, and passed away on August 1, 2026, in Pahrump, Nevada, from HPV-related cancer.

As an infant, Raymond was adopted by Chester and Elisabeth Dunn as their only child. He had no interest in seeking out his biological parents; instead, he embraced the attitude that he was special and uniquely "hand-picked." During his early childhood, Raymond frequently traveled to Germany to visit extended family, often spending entire summers there. He was once sent home from kindergarten with a note to his parents: “Please speak English at home, the other children cannot understand German.”

Raymond grew up on St. Andrews Place in Gardena, California. Raised in a diverse neighborhood, he made close friends who were Buddhist, Jewish, and Christian, causing him to ponder: “How can one religion be correct and all the others wrong?” Thanks to his Gardena upbringing, he could sing Sakura Sakura in Japanese to the very end of his life. His mother held a unique belief that drinking a glass of vinegar would prevent scurvy, and frequently chased Raymond around the house to make him swallow it. This childhood drama resulted in his lifelong aversion to condiments of all kinds—including ketchup, ranch dressing, relish, and fish and chips.

His father worked for Trans World Airlines (TWA) at Los Angeles International Airport (LAX), and Raymond frequently accompanied him to work. In the 1960s and 1970s, when airport security was vastly different, Raymond knew all the codes for employee elevators and service doors. His favorite playground was the cockpit of the Boeing 747—his absolute favorite aircraft—sparking a lifelong fascination with airplanes and air travel. Always an "old soul," Raymond consistently preferred the company of adults over other children, frequently wondering to himself: “Why are you making such noise and acting so foolishly?” He often accompanied his mother to the horse racing track, content to sit quietly reading a book or playing with his toys. When she won, they would head to Reuben’s for a celebration dinner that had to include shrimp cocktail. His parents maintained a vibrant social circle, and Raymond spent time with his Godmother Inge, her sisters, and their children, putting on elaborate reenactments of The Carol Burnett Show. They also attended fabulous dinner parties featuring colorful characters, including Hansi Becker and his trained chimpanzees.

Not wanting to attend Leuzinger High School in Lawndale, Raymond convinced his parents to move to Westminster in Orange County, where he graduated from La Quinta High School in 1980. Still far more comfortable around adults, he regularly ate lunch with his teachers rather than his classmates, often borrowing a teacher's car to run out and grab lunch for the group. Through his father’s TWA employment, Raymond could fly standby across the country and the world for free or a nominal fee. If he was bored on a weekend, he would head to LAX. He regularly scored First Class seats—sipping amaretto, enjoying carved prime rib, and soaking in the golden age of flight. Half the time, the destination was secondary; he wouldn't even leave the airport upon landing, choosing instead to immediately take the return flight home. He made frequent international trips as well, particularly to London, where he loved the theater scene—recalling of an early-80s trip: “I saw this bizarre play on its opening run called Cats.”

Following high school, Raymond attended California State University, Fullerton, coming just shy of earning his Bachelor’s degree. During this time, he shared an eight-year partnership moving around Orange County and the Inland Empire. His time living at The Lakes near South Coast Plaza was particularly memorable—the twin Landers and Big Bear earthquakes on his 30th birthday, where the palm trees outside shook so violently they disappeared from view; his rollerblading accident where he lost control and crashed into the lake; or the time his precious parakeet, Theodore, escaped and perched high out of reach, stubbornly refusing to be rescued. Raymond embraced his sexuality—there was never a "coming out of the closet" moment for him; he simply was who he was. Before he was old enough to drive, he would ride his bicycle to the Gay and Lesbian Center in Orange County to connect with his community. He became deeply active in political causes, joining the Orange County Federation of Lesbians and Gays, marching proudly in Pride parades, and tirelessly supporting Democratic candidates in what was then a staunchly conservative region.

In 1993, Raymond met Ted Fielman at the Orange County Pride festival, overcoming his inherent shyness and offering Ted a drink and asking him to join the group he was with. On Halloween in 2008, they were married. With Proposition 8 on the state ballot that November, they were determined to lock in their legal rights—and choosing Halloween felt like the absolute perfect day to scare anti-gay bigots.

Exceptionally intelligent and articulate, Raymond excelled in every professional role he held. He worked in Real Estate in the mid-1980s, Frame-n-Lens (where he naturally scored a 100% on his ABO certification exam), Countrywide, Full Spectrum Mortgage, New Horizons Computer Learning, and CO-OP Financial Services. In many of these organizations, he served as Training Manager—teaching trainers how to train others. His clear, precise communication and patience allowed him to teach in a way so everyone could comprehend. Many of his positions required extensive domestic and international travel, and Raymond was a master at maximizing frequent flyer miles. He loved bringing Ted along on work trips, effortlessly turning business into adventure: “I’m going to Boston—you want to join at the end? We could do Provincetown.” or “Hmm, Seattle... we could add Victoria, British Columbia onto that.” He was an enthusiastic docent at the Mission Inn in Riverside, CA. People sought out Raymond because his tours were so entertaining, informational and his amazing wit shone brightly. His docent graduating class was one of the last that toured the catacombs under the Mission Inn until they were recently reopened after fire code upgrades. He inspired many others to volunteer and join the docent program, always preparing for the future. Raymond was the consummate tour guide and took immense joy in working out the finest minutiae of every road trip, vacation or a jaunt across town—meticulously planning every meal, scenic rest break, and lodging stay. Friends, co-workers, and friends of friends would seek out his vast knowledge and ability to research any location.

Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, held an incredibly special place in Raymond’s heart, serving as the backdrop for countless cherished vacations. In 2019, Raymond and Ted purchased Artisan Bakery in Puerto Vallarta. Though the COVID-19 pandemic hit shortly after—a challenge for a business reliant on tourism, local dining, and farmers' markets—the bakery still thrived. Raymond took immense pride in the fact that the bakery only had to close for a single day throughout the entire pandemic. Raymond could often be found at his favorite place in Vallarta, Apache’s Martini Bar, in the sidewalk seating, with his close circle of friends drinking a Hello Darling martini, regardless of the weather. During this period, Raymond faced his first battle with cancer. Following two intense surgeries and seven weeks of radiation, he achieved a full cancer-free remission. Raymond returned to the United States in 2022, and back to the beloved house on Larchwood Place in Riverside CA, with the best neighbor anyone could hope for. Raymond loved the fact that the house was on the landing approach to LAX and also got traffic to Ontario International: “An Airbus A300 is coming in, hear the humming?” The garden was filled with his favorite plants including Mexican Sage and lavender, and an herb garden in the back. Raymond and Ted moved to Pahrump, Nevada, in September 2023, enticed by the wineries located there. In fact, Raymond became a tasting room associate at one of those wineries, Charleston Peak Winery—a role that fit him perfectly. Raymond loved visiting wineries, becoming a member at three different wineries in Temecula, CA. Nearly every vacation or birthday trip involved winery tours. His final vacation in July 2025 was a memorable wine-tasting trip to the Verde Valley in Arizona.

Raymond was a man of impeccable style, getting mail addressed to “the Riverside trendsetter.” Saks Fifth Avenue, Desert Hills Premium Outlets, and Jhane Barnes were some of his favorite stores: “This shirt is made from wood pulp!” Then there were the shoes—his collection grew so extensive that he instituted a strict "one pair in, one pair donated" rule, and the staff at his local DSW knew him by name. His style carried over to furniture, armoires, artwork, vehicles, and especially chairs—he loved beautiful seating. An adventurous eater, Raymond loved exploring diverse cuisines: Jewish delicatessens, Indian, Thai, Churrascaria, and Mongolian BBQ, often scheduling lunch dates with friends who shared his culinary curiosity. He had a deep love for rich soups and stews—matzah ball was his absolute favorite, as well as Wor Wonton, Italian Wedding, goulash, curry, and the "Cock-a-Leeky" from Rutabegorz. Raymond was an amazing host, planning menus around every guest's individual dietary needs without skipping a beat: “Vegan? Okay. No spinach? Alright. Allergic to garlic, wheat, ginger, tomato, and onion? I can do that. Here—try this non-dairy, garlic-free, tomato-free lasagna made with gluten-free noodles.” And it was always magnificent. He was equally famous for baking cookies and cupcakes tailored specifically to whoever was lucky enough to receive them.

Raymond possessed a legendary, lightning-quick wit and could fire back a pun before anyone else in the room had even processed the moment: “You know I’m a backup singer? I start singing and people back up.” Whether groan-inducing or brilliant, his humor brought constant joy to coworkers, friends, and the other listeners of Coffee and Headlines with Paco Ojeda in Puerto Vallarta. Above all, Raymond cherished connection. If Raymond called you a friend, you were a friend for life. He put in the genuine work required to help relationships thrive—meticulously keeping up with texts, phone calls, emails, WhatsApp, and Messenger—which is why he maintained a vast network of devoted, decades-long friendships. His Facebook feed was filled with Pahrump news, Vegas food critics, and countless raccoon, squirrel, and otter videos: “Ted, you wanna see a cute chipmunk video?”

A true old soul, Raymond reveled in classic entertainment, golden-era cinema, and the Great American Songbook. He knew the entire cast of The Lawrence Welk Show by heart—when each member joined and how they were related—and loved Busby Berkeley’s production numbers as well as classic aqua-musicals. His favorite artists included The Carpenters, Steve Lawrence and Eydie Gormé, Keely Smith, Frank Sinatra, The Del Rubio Triplets and Ethel Merman. Yet one artist shone far above all others: Barbra Streisand. To Raymond, April 24th was officially "Barbra Day"—nothing else mattered on that date, as her birthdate (4/24/42) was etched into the very fabric of his life. When Barbra returned to touring, Raymond nearly levitated with excitement, attending her concerts at the Hollywood Bowl, the Staples Center, and the Arrowhead Pond in Anaheim. On July 24, 1994, at the closing night of Barbra Streisand in Concert in Anaheim, Barbra famously asked the audience if they would mind staying after her final song so she could change into a different shade of white and re-record tracks for an upcoming HBO special. For Raymond, it was as if he had won the largest lottery in human history. During an annual Halloween trip to the West Hollywood Carnaval on Santa Monica Boulevard, he spotted her son, Jason Gould, and proceeded to follow him down the entire length of the street—simply because Jason was a part of Barbra.

There is immense comfort in knowing that Raymond departed this plane before Barbra did—for living in a world without her would have simply been too overwhelming for him.

Raymond is survived by his loving husband, Ted Fielman, in Pahrump, Nevada; cousins Angelika Sonntag, Kurt Sonntag, and Manfred Kaltenbach in Germany; and of course, Charlie the cat.

Raymond brought so much joy, humor, and connection to all of our lives. Raymond’s favorite quote, by Eleanor Roosevelt, sums up his view perfectly: “No one can make you feel inferior without your consent.”

Raymond, you are deeply loved and missed beyond words. Cheers, Prost, L’chaim, Egészségedre, until we meet again.