Janet Rae Dunn

Janet Rae Dunn passed away suddenly from heart failure on March 2, 2021, and is now with her Lord Jesus Christ in Heaven. She was born on October 14, 1938, in Salt Lake City, Utah, to Floyd and Helen Troxler, her parents, as the second of three siblings. Her older sister, Gloria, has preceded her in Heaven. She graduated from East High School in Salt Lake City in 1956 and her kind, loving spirit rocked the world. She worked as a soda jerk in a popular 50s drug store and later as a switchboard operator at Paramount Theaters as a teenager, but was best known among friends for her bubbly, outgoing personality, fun disposition and endless thoughtfulness toward others. She and her sister became a magnet for boys, a “package” of two beautiful young women with alluring smiles, caring nature and vivacious qualities. Miraculously, she and her family members survived an explosion in their house in 1948, because they were outside at the time. The blast was heard several blocks away, where her future husband recalls hearing it. She and her longtime husband, Robert Dunn, began dating in the summer of 1956. They enjoyed a legendary first date at the Lagoon, a long-renowned amusement park in Farmington, Utah, where they danced during a live Nat King Cole concert. They were married in 1957, moved to Santa Ana, Calif., and had their first child in 1958. Family was far and away the most important part of her life. They have six children: Michael, Kathryn (born in 1959), Beverly (1961), Richard (1962), Jeffrey (1968) and Timothy (1973). She is survived by her husband of 63+ years, all six children and younger brother, Doug. She also has 14 grandchildren and seven great grandchildren. She is preceded in death by her loving grandson, Julian, who entered the arms of Jesus in Heaven in 2013. All of her family members live in Southern California and most within a short driving distance from their home in Santa Ana, where she lived all of her adult life. She committed her life to family and her Heavenly Father. Her love for family was always demonstrated in her selfless acts and shining examples of devotion. Many believe her heart simply gave out because she gave so much of herself. She adored children and had a deep, lifelong affection for teaching young ones at church. She was a gift to hundreds of children. She loved to sing and because of her entertaining characteristics, affable spirit and creative impulsion with children, one of her young sons thought it might actually be her instead of Julie Andrews starring in “Sound of Music.” No matter the circumstance, her unyielding joy spilled over into the hearts and minds of all with whom she came in contact. She was dedicated to service, always sought to help others and never turned away an opportunity to assist a person in need. She loved to host family and friends, make dinner and play cards, and if she had it her way everyone in the family would spend the night in a mammoth sleepover and spawn epic memories. Her never-ending sense of humor framed the routine into a spectacle, dressing up as a scary witch on Halloween, ringing bells and whistles at ball games and conjuring up ways to generate laughter as a notorious prankster, especially on April Fool’s Day. She re-entered the workforce in the 1970s and spent 20+ years working for the County of Orange and Electronic Data Systems, a company founded by Ross Perot and later purchased by Lockheed Martin. She learned to become a highly successful data entry/key punch operator for the County in the early 70s, a pioneering profession at the time. She was promoted to myriad positions within the frame work of her departments. She made friends everywhere she went, treated all people with unremitting dignity and respect and eternally mailed greeting cards to friends and family members with her exquisite penmanship. Her favorite musician was Neil Diamond and she and Robert attended several of his concerts. Some of her most cherished moments came when grandchildren would sleep over for a night or two or even longer, and spoil them to the core with outings, gifts and activities. She will be deeply missed.

On April 5, a viewing will start at 9 a.m. and funeral services at 10 a.m. at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 674 S. Yorba St., Orange, CA 92869. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to CHOC Foundation/Julian’s Lego Corner.

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.fairhavenmemorial.com for the Dunn family.