As popular Hoover mall walker gets Galleria funeral procession mysteries of his life revealed

Ron Freeze, an 81-year-old beloved mall walker who died alone at a Birmingham hospital, will be buried with military honors and a funeral procession around the Riverchase Galleria.

Freeze was seen for decades walking through the Hoover mall, as well as area libraries.

He was a mystery to many and became known as the "Galleria Elvis" because of his distinctive look – thick black hair, beard and sideburns and a mesh truckers' hat.

When Freeze died at 2:07 p.m. on Aug. 26 at UAB Hospital, most who had watched him walk the mall knew anything about his life. Many were sad to hear the coroner's office had no one to claim his body and put out a public call for family members to come forward.

Trish Garmon, a former Hoover resident who was one of the many who noticed Freeze walking the mall, worked tirelessly to make sure Freeze received the burial he deserved.

A GoFundMe organized by Garmon sought to collect $8,000 , and received just over the goal amount before it was closed. Jefferson-Currie funeral home in Hoover is also donating thousands in goods and services for the funeral.

"He's like an icon of Hoover,'' Garmon told AL.com. "You just don't want the man who everybody in the world knows not being claimed .... That's not who he was."

Not only did Garmon secure a proper burial for Freeze, but she also researched and has been able to put a bit of the mystery to rest.

According to his obituary , Freeze's childhood and early adult life were spent with his family, who were well-known in many social circles in Columbus, Georgia.

Freeze was a Boy Scout and eventually attended Auburn University, where he graduated on Aug. 24, 1965.

"His love for Auburn University never went away,'' it reads. "He was an avid Auburn fan, often sporting Auburn collegiate-wear wherever he went."

At 22, Freeze enlisted in the U.S. Army and served as a sharpshooter. He was honorably discharged in December 1971.

Freeze moved to Birmingham when he married, and he and his wife raised their two daughters.

After his time in the military, it is believed Freeze went to work for John Paul Mitchell as a sales director.

"Ron sold hair and beauty products across the southeast, and from several accounts greatly enjoyed this line of work,'' the obituary reads.

Freeze assumed the role of both father and mother after his wife died of ovarian cancer.

According to an obituary in the Birmingham Post-Herald, Freeze's wife, Joy, was a Birmingham teacher who died July 31, 1985.

"Ron was a doting father and did everything he could to provide for his girls,'' according to the obituary.

Both daughters worked at the Galleria, where Freeze would go on to work as a security guard.

One daughter, Leslie Freeze, died at age 19 on March 19, 1999. His other daughter, Bethany Hyde, 27, died Nov. 12, 1999.

Both daughters, like their mother, died of cancer. All three are buried in Elmwood Cemetery.

"Ron was devastated at losing both of his daughters within six months of each other,'' the obituary reads. "After the passing of both Bethany and Leslie, Ron seemingly kept to himself."

"I honest feel like him going back to the Riverchase Galleria like he did was just his way of being connected to his daughters,'' Garmon said.

Following his death, Garmon said many stories about Freeze surfaced.

"Stories of him taking cookies and candy to mall employees, stories of him recounting his days in the Army, stories of him knowing Elvis Presley,'' she said, "so many stories of his life, yet he remains a mystery to most who knew him or of him."

"While a lot of Ron's life is unknown, there are many who loved him,'' the obituary read.

"The community and City of Hoover have revered him as a local icon and legend. The amount of love and support shown to Ron since his passing has been nothing short of amazing."

Services for Freeze will be held Wednesday Sept. 25, 2024, at Currie-Jefferson Funeral Home. Visitation will be at 10 a.m. with a funeral service to follow at 11 a.m.

A procession around the Galleria is set to take place about 11:30 a.m. which will include a police escort.