An effort is underway to raise money to pay for the burial of Ron Freeze, who was seen by many over the years walking through the Riverchase Galleria and libraries.

Freeze died at on Aug. 26 at UAB Hospital. He was 81.

When he died, the Jefferson County Coroner’s Office sent out a request to find his family. Although a relative was located, it was unclear if his body will be claimed.

Trish Garmon, a former Hoover resident who was one of the many who noticed Freeze walking the mall, has organized a Gofundme in hopes of raising $8,000 to pay for his burial.

“He has a burial plot at Elmwood cemetery but as of right now, we don’t know if he has paid for the cost of the opening and closing of his grave. Nor do we know if a vault has been paid for by him or through his estate,” the Gofundme states.

Freeze was preceded in death by his wife Joy, who died in 1985, and two daughters who died within months of each in 1999. Both of his daughters worked at the mall where he came to be known as the “Galleria Elvis” because of his distinctive look — thick black hair, beard and sideburns and mesh truckers hat.

“He had this distinctive look, with his hat and his sideburns. He was very recognizable‚’’ said Maury Levine, a Vestavia Hills resident who sometimes spoke with Freeze.

“It was like you always saw him or you never saw him,’’ Levine said. “There was no middle ground.”

Garmon told AL.com she could not stand the thought of no one claiming his body.

“He’s laying in a morgue and he’s like an icon of Hoover,’’ Garmon said.

“You just don’t want the man who everybody in the world knows not being claimed,’’ she said. “That’s not who he was … It’s just a crappy situation and you hate it for him.”

Garmon said she’s learned that Freeze served in the U.S. Army. She is trying to get verification and proper documentation to have him buried with military honors.

Garmon wrote on Gofundme that she is “working with Jefferson-Currie funeral home in Hoover, Mr. Freeze’s social worker, the Jefferson County coroner’s office, and Elmwood cemetery.”

“Jefferson-Currie has stepped up in a HUGE way and they have really gone above and beyond to help. But they are a business and have to be paid. We are hoping for monetary donations, the donation of a vault and whatever else it’s going to take to have Mr. Freeze taken care of.”

Garmon said any money left over would go into a fund to “to help a family in a similar situation.”