Buddies commemorate Jerry Pryor, homeless man who was understood for tidying Lakewood Village location

Throughout his life, Jerry Pryor could typically be seen around Lakewood Village pulling a wagon filled with his earthly belongings and the tools he utilized as a self-appointed neighborhood cleaner-upper.

On Saturday, when good friends gathered to mark Pryor's current passing, they filled his now-idle wagon with flowers.

Born in Long Beach in 1945, Pryor spent more than twenty years living on the city's streets, bring in friends and admirers with his quiet kindness and the work ethic that drove him to sweep, pick up trash and prune the bushes in the neighborhood where he lived. Pryor passed away Jan. 17 at age 78.

< img decoding =" async" width =" 1024 "height =" 589 "data-cfsrc =" https://img.lbpost.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/10123905/JERRY26-1024x589.jpg" alt= "" class=" wp-image-131404" srcset=" https://img.lbpost.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/10123905/JERRY26-1024x589.jpg 1024w, https://img.lbpost.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/10123905/JERRY26-300x173.jpg 300w, https://img.lbpost.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/10123905/JERRY26-768x442.jpg 768w, https://img.lbpost.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/10123905/JERRY26-188x108.jpg 188w, https://img.lbpost.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/10123905/JERRY26-400x230.jpg 400w, https://img.lbpost.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/10123905/JERRY26-470x270.jpg 470w, https://img.lbpost.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/10123905/JERRY26-970x557.jpg 970w, https://img.lbpost.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/10123905/JERRY26.jpg 1200w "sizes =" (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" style=" display screen: none; visibility: hidden; "> Jerry Pryor, 73, pulls his wagon during an early foggy early morning on Tuesday, Feb. 26, 2019. Image by Stephen Carr. A crowd of about 40 individuals who had known Pryor, including several who moved mountains to get him medical care and a bed in an assisted living facility for his last years, honored their friend at a memorial Saturday at Lakewood Village Community Church. Pryor was stubborn and wished to do things his own way, said his nephew, Daniel Pryor-- enjoyed ones and even acquaintances offered to put a roof over his head, but not wanting to enforce, he either turned them down or didn't stay long.

But he had a huge heart, was constantly considering his buddies, and was grateful for the help he accepted.

Gloria Cordero, one of numerous people who spoke about Pryor at the memorial, stated he 'd clip out news articles to provide her that related to her work. And after he died, amongst his personal belongings were about 100 index cards on which he had actually noted the date he received something (such as a dining establishment or a tarp gift card) and who offered it to him.

" That smile Jerry had-- he would see you and his eyes would illuminate," Cordero said.

< img loading =" lazy" decoding =" async" width="1024" height =" 728" data-cfsrc =" https://img.lbpost.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2020/11/25175123/1117-JerryHome11-1024x728.jpg "alt ="" class =" wp-image-43590" srcset =" https://img.lbpost.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2020/11/25175123/1117-JerryHome11-1024x728.jpg 1024w, https://img.lbpost.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2020/11/25175123/1117-JerryHome11-300x213.jpg 300w, https://img.lbpost.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2020/11/25175123/1117-JerryHome11-768x546.jpg 768w, https://img.lbpost.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2020/11/25175123/1117-JerryHome11-152x108.jpg 152w, https://img.lbpost.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2020/11/25175123/1117-JerryHome11-1536x1092.jpg 1536w, https://img.lbpost.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2020/11/25175123/1117-JerryHome11-1200x853.jpg 1200w, https://img.lbpost.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2020/11/25175123/1117-JerryHome11-1568x1115.jpg 1568w, https://img.lbpost.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2020/11/25175123/1117-JerryHome11-400x284.jpg 400w, https://img.lbpost.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2020/11/25175123/1117-JerryHome11-422x300.jpg 422w, https://img.lbpost.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2020/11/25175123/1117-JerryHome11-1110x789.jpg 1110w, https://img.lbpost.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2020/11/25175123/1117-JerryHome11-2048x1456.jpg 2048w, https://img.lbpost.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2020/11/25175123/1117-JerryHome11-1320x939.jpg 1320w, https://img.lbpost.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2020/11/25175123/1117-JerryHome11.jpg 1800w" sizes ="( max-width: 1024px )100vw, 1024px "style =" display: none; presence: concealed;" > Jerry Pryor is imagined in 2020 outside Crofton Manor, a nursing home in Long Beach. Pryor was homeless and living on the streets for many years near Lakewood Village; he died at 78. Image by Stephen Carr.
Corliss Lee kept in mind enticing Pryor-- whom she called "the most independent, stubborn male I've ever fulfilled"-- to come to the DMV to get his ID by promising a shopping trip at Harbor Freight later.

Some stories friends shared about Pryor appeared to be nearly as much about them, and how his compassion, humbleness, and even his stubbornness helped them find reservoirs of kindness and empathy within themselves.

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Daniel, Pryor's nephew, stated it was nice to see that although his uncle never married or had children and eked out a difficult presence on the streets, he wasn't alone.

As to what he'll keep in mind most about Jerry, it's "knowing that he touched a lot of folks," Daniel Pryor stated. "I'm not even sure that was his intent, it's just what happened."