Elfie was one a true example of a special, one of a kind soul. It was rare to see him without a big smile and some crazy, hilarious story to share with anyone who would give him the time of day to listen. Also just as rare was to hear him speak ill of anyone, and if he did, you could almost guarantee that they deserved the shaming. His best quality was also his worst; he would give him last dime and the shirt off of his own back whether they deserved it or not. This sure made him a lot of lifelong friends and admirers, but of course, unfortunately, this mean that he was taken advantage of more than his fair share, and it seems every type of user imaginable would crawl of the woodworks without fail when they knew he offered an advantage they could grab.
That was his way though. Even in the midst of dealing with his own problems and demons, he would drop everything to help someone figure their way through their own.
No one is universally loved or even liked, but anyone could attest to the fact that to find someone who truly disliked this incredible man, was a daunting task. They were and are, few and far between.
Although I am technically extended family at best, as his sister is my aunt, married to my biological uncle, there was never an exception in my case. He considered me one of his nephews with no questions asked, and no explanations needed. With his passing, this community, and this family lost a shining example of how a person can be unconditionally kind. I for one do, and will always cherish his memory and miss him terribly.