Before his death, "Clifford" spent most days under a little tree by the Springhill Commons shopping center on Northwest 39th Avenue in Gainesville.
GAINESVILLE — Mike Horton knew "Clifford" as well as any one could and certainly as well as many of the area residents who would bring the homeless man food, clothes and money.
"He seemed like a very lovable guy,” Horton said. “There was something about Cliff that was just endearing."
Clifford, as he was known to those who helped him before he was found dead in a nearby area, spent most days under a little tree by the Springhill Commons shopping center on Northwest 39th Avenue.
Horton said he would often worry about Clifford — who he said lived in a pile of trash — anytime it was wet or cold outside.
“If you didn't look carefully, you would miss him,” he said. “But those of us who knew him knew where he was and we would bring him food.”
Over the last few weeks, however, Horton and some of those who were familiar with Clifford noticed that he was not at his normal spot and became increasingly worried about the man until a mysterious wreath appeared near Clifford’s camp.
"One night leaving Publix, I saw a pole up with a wreath on it with his name and my heart just sank,” Horton said. “I cried all the way home."
“The next day, I went back to bring flowers, and there was another bouquet of flowers. And then another and another,” he said. “So there were a lot of people who cared about Cliff. I wasn't the only one."
A memorial service was held recently for the homeless man known simply as Clifford to those living in the area. The event was held in front of a wreath posted on Northwest 92nd Court where Clifford could often be found resting.
Bob Riga, who organized the event along with his wife, Judy Best, was the first to speak and welcomed those gathered.
“We decided to commemorate the fact that a man was here — a human being made in God's image who lived and who died,” he said. “We just thought it was important that the fact that he existed be acknowledged.”
Throughout the memorial service, some of the 30 people who attended stood in front of the wreath to share their stories of Clifford or to express regret for not having done more. Others expressed their gratitude for those who helped Clifford while he was alive. Still others read poetry or Bible passages before all those gathered sang an a capella rendition of “Amazing Grace” in closing.
Alachua County Sheriff's Office spokesman Sgt. Brett Rhodenizer said in an email that Clifford, who was 62 years old at the time of his death, was found by an area resident May 26 at his camp in the woods just north of the Circle K located on Northwest 39th Avenue.
Rhodenizer said Clifford’s death remains under investigation — mainly because deputies are having difficulty locating Clifford’s next of kin rather than due to any suspicious circumstances regarding the homeless man’s death.
Rhodenizer also said deputies are still waiting for the medical examiner to determine the exact cause of death because it wasn't immediately apparent. He did say, however, that there were no obvious signs of trauma or foul play.
According to an op-ed piece published in The Gainesville Sun that was penned by Candy Pigott, who said she spoke with Clifford about his history, Clifford was originally from Michigan and had some relatives who still reside there.
Some of those familiar with Clifford said he was never seen begging and that kind-hearted people would often drop off sandwiches or clothes to him on their way in or out of the nearby Publix shopping center.
Horton, a grief facilitator at Queen of Peace Catholic Church, was one such person and said Clifford’s health seemed to be degrading over recent months.
"He got to the point to where he couldn't even get up to come to the car to retrieve money or food,” he said. “You had to get out and bring it to him."
Some of those familiar with Clifford, who have said they received the information from a local law enforcement agency, claim that he died due to acute alcoholism.
“The empty gallon-sized vodka bottles spotted among his trash heap testified to his alcoholism,” said Gayle Horton, Mike Horton’s wife and a philosophy professor. “I asked my husband if we were complicit in his death since he likely spent the money we gave him on vodka. In the end, we agreed if he needed the vodka to escape his miserable condition, giving him a few dollars was an act of kindness.”
Riga, organizer of the event with his wife, questioned such speculation about the alcoholism and said Clifford would often request hot tea, uncut blocks of cheddar cheese, bacon cheeseburgers and occasionally some cheap cigarillos.
"That's all hearsay — nobody knows anything,” he said. “I can say for myself I never saw liquor bottles.”
A wreath featuring a ribbon spelling out Clifford’s name currently sits on a pole standing on Northwest 92nd Court near Clifford’s camp. Beneath it are a pile of flowers with new flowers appearing over time.
"I was happy to see it (the wreath),” Mike Horton said. “I was happy to know that he was loved by so many people and that I wasn't the only one — that there are other people who took it upon themselves to bestow kindness to this man."