Obituary

On Wednesday, February 15, 2023 loving father, brother, uncle and friend Raymond Stephen Tachine passed away at the age of 74 in Irvine, California surrounded by his son Darren, son-in-law Eric, and friend Dawn.

Ray was born on September 25, 1948 in Staten Island, NY to Joan Dorothy and Charles Joseph Tachine. His father and mother moved him and his brother Richard to Westminster, CA in 1956 to get away from the cold winters of the east coast. He attended Willis S. Warner Middle School and graduated from Westminster High School in 1966.

Ray enlisted in the US Coast Guard after high school, serving in the Vietnam War from 1967 to 1971. He served aboard the USCGC Minnetonka, USCGC Pontchartrain and USCGC Venturous.

In 1972, Ray met Yvonne Grant while playing pool at a college dance hall who also moved with her family in 1957 to Orange County from Birmingham, Alabama. In March of 1977 they were married in Las Vegas with both of their parents by their side. Soon after their son Darren was born, which was one of Ray’s proudest moments… they bought their first house together in Orange.

Ray loved driving luxury sports cars and riding his Harley Sportster. He worked as an Automotive Sales and Finance Manager for almost 18 years all over the Orange County, Southern California area. In 1989, he moved to Placerville with his family, and was the star on a few local auto dealership commercials.

Another one of Ray’s proudest moments in life was when he decided to make a career change at almost 60 and graduate from Saddleback College as an EMT. Ray worked at Freedom Village in Lake Forest, CA from 2007 to 2020, until he retired at the age of 72.

Later that year in 2020, after a 21-day hospital stay battling COVID and pneumonia, he was diagnosed with chronic lymphocytic leukemia. Ray has always been a fighter, he never complained and still maintained a positive attitude. Ray had a new vision on life, wanting to live in the present and to live every moment to its fullest!

His favorite activities were golfing and playing chess on his iPad with his brother Rich, playing Yahtzee and Spinner with his #1 son Darren and #2 son in-law Eric, going to Cousins Maine Lobster (Food Truck) for a lobster roll or Big Shot Billiards with his friend Dawn, as well as spending hours on the phone having heart to heart talks with his long-distance love, Candy in Arizona.

In his final months, Ray enjoyed traveling to visit Darren and Eric in San Diego and going to the beach and Zoo. He flew up to visit with his brother and sister who both live in Napa’s beautiful wine country. Ray also made it a point to visit with his brothers from another mother, and lifelong friends… John and Jan Fusca, Howard and Lila Cooke and Mac McLean.

He is preceded in death by his mother Joan Dorothy Seabarkrob Tachine, father Charles Joseph Tachine, and daughter Janine Tachine. Surviving family members include his son Darren (Eric Flores) Tachine, brother Richard (Loraine) Tachine, and his sister April Duge (Tachine).

In lieu of flowers sent for Ray’s ceremony, we graciously ask to provide a donation to VVA – Vietnam Veterans of America at https://vva.org/donate/ (https://vva.org/donate/) or The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society at https://www.lls.org/ways-to-give (https://www.lls.org/ways-to-give) in honor of his name.

Ray’s wishes for cremation were honored on Friday, March 3. His Celebration of Life with a Military Ceremony will be held on Thursday, March 16 at 10:00am at O’Connor Mortuary in Laguna Hills.

Following Ray’s Celebration of Life, his urn will be transported to Miramar National Cemetery in San Diego for the final resting place of his ashes at 2:30pm on the same day.

You are invited to view the service of
Raymond Tachine
Livestreamed on 16th March at 9:55am (PDT) and you can view the recording for up to 90 days.
https://view.oneroomstreaming.com/index.php?data=MTY3ODE2NzE2NDExMDgxMjkmb25lcm9vbS1lbWFpbCZpbnZpdGF0aW9uX2NvcHlfbGluaw==