Dr. John M. Raymond, 56, devoted father to Daniel and Joseph Raymond, loving husband to Thuntika Raymond and beloved chiropractor on Whidbey Island, died peacefully on Wednesday, July 29, at his Oak Harbor home.

Dr. Raymond was born in Seattle and resided in Lynnwood until he joined the U.S. Army in 1977 shortly after graduating from Meadowdale High School.

It was while in the Army that Dr. Raymond met his first wife, Maggie Schlub. It was a union that lasted 23 years and resulted in the birth of his two sons.

For 14 years, he was a medic on a special forces A-team. He was trained by the Hong Kong special police in emergency medicine as well as organized advanced trauma life support for multi-service and multinational forces.

He also attended the U.S. Army Special Forces Underwater Operations School where he earned the necessary qualifications to become a combat diver. In addition, he participated in medical civil action programs in Africa and Asia, treating local people and teaching them how to care for themselves. Dr. Raymond also participated in multiple assignments in countries like Korea, Thailand, Japan and France.

He attended the University of Wisconsin-Madison and majored in zoology and pre-med before applying to Palmer College of Chiropractic-Iowa, from which he graduated magna cum laude.

While in chiropractic school he was honored with work in the Troxell intern program, in which he taught other students the Gonstead technique and received 100 hours in the Advance Gonstead system.

In 2000, he and his family moved to Oak Harbor and started a private practice — Whidbey Island Chiropractic Center.

Throughout the years, he expanded his method to include Cox and Active release techniques, allowing him to treat a wide variety of conditions.

Aside from his passion for chiropractic medicine, Dr. Raymond developed a love for fishing during his time in the Midwest, practiced martial arts, learned Mandarin Chinese and French languages, and traveled the world.

Along with his sons and wife, Dr. Raymond is survived by his mother, Maurine; his siblings, Gary Raymond, Sue Raymond, Cheryl Rennebohm and her husband, Rick; his niece and nephew, Bridget Terry and Tyler Terry; and his daughter-in-law, Ana Raymond.

Dr. Raymond’s life was full of adventure, happiness and love.

He will be forever missed and forever loved.

A celebration of Dr. Raymond’s life will be held at 2 p.m., Saturday, Aug. 22, at the Elk’s Lodge in Oak Harbor.