Richard Waymon Clotfelter, 89, of Ocala, Florida, died peacefully on May 3, 2023.
Mr. Clotfelter was a real estate broker for more than 30 years and for nearly 20 years owned Clotfelter Realty in Ocala and Belleview, a company that his father Hugh Clotfelter founded.
Mr. Clotfelter was born on Dec. 31, 1933 in Chicago to Hugh Cyril and Quintine Katherine (Bunte) Clotfelter. Mr. Clotfelter graduated from Lane Technical High School in 1951 and attended Wright Junior College in Chicago, where he met his first wife, Geraldine (Hajduk), whom he married in 1955. Mr. Clotfelter served in the U.S. Navy from 1954 to 1956, aboard the heavy cruiser, USS Newport News, which was the flagship of the U.S. Naval 6th Fleet in the Caribbean and Europe.
In his early career, Mr. Clotfelter sold life insurance in the Chicago area, and in 1965 opened his own insurance agency in Arlington Heights, Illinois. In the early 1970s, Mr. Clotfelter moved to Belleview to join his father in his real estate business. Mr. Clotfelter was a Realtor until he retired in 2001 and his daughter, Margaret “Peggy” Clotfelter Pittas, and her husband Greg Pittas, acquired the company, which is now ReMax AllStars Realty, in Ocala.
In the 1980s and 1990s, Mr. Clotfelter was active at Grace Presbyterian Church in Ocala, where he led Bible studies, served on the evangelism team for 10 years and was a church elder for six years.
Mr. Clotfelter was an avid reader, a devoted football fan, adored dogs, and loved the water and swimming. He was playful with a good sense of humor, and in his later years was known for giving very warm hugs to family members.
Mr. Clotfelter is survived by his four children, Kathryn Schaeffer (Gary Roll), Laura Gillespie (David), Margaret Pittas (Greg) and Michael Clotfelter (Margaret). He also is survived by seven grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren. Mr. Clotfelter was preceded in death by his parents, Hugh C. and Quintine K. Clotfelter, his brother, Morton Clotfelter, and a grandson, Kevin Kasper Clotfelter.
A private memorial service is planned.
Special thanks to the staff at Brookdale Pinecastle, Clare Bridge, in Ocala and Hospice of Marion County. Memorials may be made to the Alzheimer’s Association https://www.alz.org/