Frederick Gordon Gunn

Frederick Gordon Gunn (1946–2026)

Frederick Gordon Gunn, 79, passed away peacefully on February 13, 2026, one day before his 17th wedding anniversary with his wife, Vivian.

Fred was a lifelong resident of El Cajon, California. He grew up there, attended Granite Hills High School, and spent most of his life in the community he called home.

He proudly served in the United States Army during the Vietnam War. He was deployed to Vietnam, where he earned the National Defense Service Medal, Vietnam Service Medal, Vietnam Campaign Medal, Army Commendation Medal, and Overseas Service Bars. He qualified as a Sharpshooter with the M-14 rifle and was honorably discharged at the rank of Specialist Five (E-5). Like many who served, he returned home changed by the experience. Those years shaped him deeply and quietly, and he carried both the strength and the weight of that service throughout his life.

Following his military service, Fred joined the El Cajon Fire Department, serving his hometown for many years as a dedicated firefighter. He protected the same community where he was raised, living out a steady sense of duty that defined much of his life.

Fred was a man of integrity and principle, often reserved and sparing with words. He carried much inside, but those who knew him over time saw him grow softer and more reflective in his later years.

He experienced both fulfillment and disappointment in life, including marriages that did not endure as he had once hoped. Yet in his final 17 years, he found companionship and happiness with Vivian. Those years brought him a measure of peace. He enjoyed time with her and her extended family and seemed genuinely content in that season of life.

Fred is survived by his wife, Vivian, and her family; his children Jeff, Brad, Lauren, and Chris, and their families; his brother, Frank; his sisters, Debbie and Beverly; numerous grandchildren; and extended family members.

He battled COPD in his later years, but in the end, his passing was gentle. He went to sleep peacefully and felt no pain. At 79 years old, after a life marked by service, struggle, growth, and ultimately peace, he simply wore out.

He was a good man. He served his country. He served his community. He loved in the ways he knew how and sought peace in the later chapters of his life.

He will be missed.