Ray DeForest and Doris Dear: A Lifetime of Courage, Creativity, and Community for Former God’s Love We Deliver Client

Ray’s journey into performance began early. With a natural flair for the stage, he became a professional entertainer, eventually joining The Walt Disney Company, where he performed as a singer and entertainer both in the parks and on tour. He was part of the original Showtime Singers who opened EPCOT Center, and later dazzled audiences as the male singer in the iconic Las Vegas revue “Jubilee” for three years.

His career took him across the globe, including a three-year stint in Copenhagen, where he produced and directed cabaret shows. But no matter where he went, Ray carried with him the values of compassion and community.

The 1980s altered the course of Ray’s life. The AIDS crisis was everywhere, and Ray’s community was no exception. Ray watched and cared for friends from diagnosis to the days they died. He visited St. Vincent’s Hospital, bringing food right to friends’ bedsides, when others were leaving trays outside of the door, not wanting to get close to those affected. Larry Kramer, A friend of Ray’s, was well-connected in the movement for people living with and dying from AIDS: He knew Larry Kramer and Edie Windsor, and he witnessed firsthand the power of grassroots compassion—like the early days of God’s Love We Deliver, a lifeline for so many, and which would later become a lifeline for him.

Ray’s activism grew alongside his artistry. He became a prominent figure in the LGBTQ+ community, serving on the Board of SAG-AFTRA and assisted leading both local and national LGBTQ+ committees. He was known for his tireless charity work, especially supporting homeless youth, and for his involvement with the Imperial Court, where he once shared an unforgettable Thanksgiving with Joan Rivers, helping deliver meals to the clients of God’s Love We Deliver.

Ray’s most transformative creation came from a place of deep personal grief. As his mother battled Alzheimer’s, Ray began writing a musical cabaret about his childhood. It was his partner who suggested he perform it in drag. And so, Doris Dear was born—an amalgamation of Ray and his sister Nancy, a tribute to his mother, and a celebration of family. Doris became a sensation and she traveled the world with her story. Doris created the show so that each would be different: a unique experience for her as the storyteller, and a once-in-a-lifetime show for the audience.

Every year, Ray writes a new Doris Dear Christmas show, each one a heartfelt homage to the people who shaped him. “When I put that outfit on and I stand on that stage,” Ray said, “I am representing the people who brought me up.” Doris wasn’t just a character—she was therapy, legacy, and love.

In 2024, Ray’s life took a sudden turn. A routine checkup revealed inoperable grade 5 prostate cancer. Doctors didn’t expect him to live past Christmas. The cancer was aggressive and was on the outside the prostate, making surgery impossible. But in a miraculous twist, a full-body scan showed it hadn’t spread further. Treatment became possible.

Ray endured 25 days of radiation, hormone therapy that reduced the testosterone in his body, and the challenging emotional journey of such a severe diagnosis and intense treatment. Yet, in the midst of it all, he produced and performed two sold-out Doris Dear Christmas shows—with four radiation sessions still to go. “I wasn’t sure if I’d ever perform again,” he said. “So I made sure to make it happen.”

After sharing his situation with friend and God’s Love We Deliver Chief Philanthropy Officer Stephen Covello, Ray joined the medically tailored meal program at God’s Love We Deliver. While he remembered the organization from when we were solely feeding those living with and dying from HIV/AIDS, Ray now qualified for our home-delivered meals due to his cancer diagnosis and treatment. He immediately felt the relief and comfort of knowing he didn’t have to worry about nutritious meals, and that an entire organization of loving staff and volunteers was in his corner.

Immediately, Ray felt a difference in his emotional and mental health. The meals, tailored to his dietary needs, gave him strength, comfort, and time.

“It was effortless,” he said. “At a time when everything felt like an effort, it was the hugest thing. The delicious menu and smaller items like easy-to-heat entrees, applesauce cups,  the rolls—each felt like a a small act of care.”

Ray documented his journey with raw honesty—crying, laughing, and sharing the truth of what it means to fight for your life. His videos inspired others and brought support from friends and strangers alike. “My whole life is about being authentically who you are,” he said. And he lived that truth every day.

Now 67, Ray proudly defies expectations. His cancer is undetectable. He remains a beacon of joy, resilience, and fierce authenticity. He’s planning his next shows as Doris Dear. And every day he gives thanks for the medically tailored meals of God’s Love We Deliver that were brought to his door at a time when he needed the most.

Whether as Ray or Doris Dear, he stands as a living testament to the power of love, family, and never giving up.