August 15, 1959 ~ March 29, 2014
Resided in:
Redondo Beach, CA
Alan Lewis Dunn, a resident of Redondo Beach, CA passed away unexpectedly on March 29, 2014 at the age of 54. Alan was born on August 15, 1959 at Daniel Freeman Hospital in Inglewood, CA. He graduated from St. Joseph Catholic School, Hawthorne High School and El Camino College. Alan was a member of the Cub Scouts and Sea Scouts. He worked in the audio/video field for over 25 years and spent 10 years working for Time Warner. Alan's hobbies included camping, boating, bike riding, reading, music, cooking and barbecuing. His passion was his gift of photography. Alan was very well liked and had many friends. Alan has left many with a void in their hearts, and he will be greatly missed.
Alan is survived by his brother, Mark (Vicky) Dunn and sister, Denise (Greg) Podegracz, both of Torrance, CA; and two nieces (Amanda & Natalie) and nephew (Gabriel). He was preceded in death by his parents, Herman and Doris Dunn. The Rosary and Memorial Mass will be celebrated at St. James Catholic Church in Redondo Beach on Friday April 25, 2014 at 10:00 AM.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention in the name of Alan Dunn's Memorial Fund. The memorial website link is:
http://afsp.donordrive.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=donorDrive.personalCampaign&participantID=549906.
Guestbook
My condolences for your lost. May you find comfort from family, friends, and the €œGod of all comfort€ €œHe is giving support to all who are falling and is raising up all who are bowed down€ (Ps145:14) May he sustain you until the day that death is swallowed up forever.
Alan, you were the kindest, sweetest man, and I will miss you very much. Thank you for commissioning me to do that painting for you. I appreciated your artistic sensibilities, and know that maybe, like Van Gogh, “this world was never meant for one as beautiful as you”. Be at peace my friend, may God’s light shine upon you forever.
I will always remember Alan as a kind man who loved his family. My thoughts and prayers will continue for Mark, Denise, their spouses and children. I really enjoyed Alan “stepping up to the plate” during the last holiday season when he volunteered to cook a turkey for our assembly, even though he admitted he had never cooked a turkey before! I will miss him, his smile and his gentle humor.
During Holy Week it’s so easy and natural to dwell on death. Yet, Easter, with its assurance of our own resurrection because of Our Lord’s, comes quickly to soothe us and give us real hope. Mark and Denise, I pray that you and your families will indeed experience God’s love and goodness especially at this time. Although our paths crossed less often than I would have wished, Alan was very dear and will always have a special place in my heart. My prayers for him continue, as well as for you all. God bless you.
Alan was a great man. One of my favorite childhood memories of him was in Greg and Denise’s garage at the first Christmas they hosted. Not only did he teache us how to open beer using the side of a table, he then showed us how to play poker using bottle caps. I think I was only 11. He always had a way of making me feel special and like we were the best of friends, even though we only saw each other a few times a year. I will truly miss seeing his smile, and his company.
Alan- Your early departure from this world doesn’t change the impact you had on MANY lives. I have nothing but fond memories of your kind soul and welcoming smile. You will be missed, along with your fabulous appetizer platters and incredible beer knowledge. The message is reiterated, if not re-learned: Life is short, so appreciate every moment. Thank you for touching my life, farewell, but never forgotten. I hope you have found the peace you deserve.
We will miss Alan in our lives. He was an inspiration to everyone in our family for his goodness and kind heart. In the many years I have known Alan he has always brightened the room and gave so much to others. I’m blessed to have known him.
PEACE! You are missed by all who knew you.
Alan Dunn was an extraordinary friend. Many were touched by his kindness and great humor. He was able to mingle into any crowd and make anyone€™s day better.
I was fortunate to experience his friendship for more than 35 years. Parties as teenagers, discussions on the world€™s problems, weeks in Vegas and Laughlin forged a strong bond. Alan was the usher in our wedding who did the most work with making sure the video equipment was set up and coordinating the rehearsal dinner location along with the breakfast before the ceremony. We kept up regularly through the years. Gretchen and Martin became his buddies. When Gretchen left town for the week on business, she would set up €œplay dates€ for me €“ Alan always got the first play date call for us to hook up when she was out of town.
If you knew Alan, you knew the entire family. Weekend parties were best at the old Hawthorne house when we knew Herman and Doris were gone. Yet even when the parents returned home, the party continued on with Herman smiling and Doris having the heavy motherly look of worry. Today I am certain that Alan is in heaven smiling down on Mark, Denise, Vicky, Greg, along with Amanda, Natalie, and Gabriel. You all brought him so much joy.
In conclusion, we all should remember the way Alan left this world feeling despair, but it is far more important to recall the way he lived. Always there when one needed a friend. Big heart. Roaring laugh. Immensely talented photographer. And much more. You will be missed, but never forgotten.