Relatives of retired road sweeper Adrian Smith who died after being attacked in Huddersfield town centre hope to create a permanent memorial to him.
Adrian, 69, a street cleaner in Holmfirth for 30 years, died after being punched outside KFC in New Street.
He fell and struck his head and died in hospital later.
Adrian, of Holmfirth, was described as a true eccentric and one of life’s “free thinkers.”
He is fondly remembered by traders and locals in the town who were left shocked by his death.
Friends have paid heartfelt tributes to a man who decorated his dust cart in flowers and made his own clothing out of duct tape.
Adrian’s mother Marie Smith, who lived in Holmfirth and later Honley, died aged 98 in 2010.
After that Mrs Smith’s grandsons Edward and Oliver Evans stayed in touch with their uncle. Now Edward, 46, and Oliver, 48, both from London, want to ensure their uncle isn’t forgotten.
Edward, a head teacher in South London, said: “We would just like to thank everyone for their tributes which we have been following on the Examiner’s website and on social media.
“It’s wonderful that people’s memories can be shared so quickly and it’s really heartwarming that people remember Adrian so fondly.”
Edward, who is married to Jennie, 45, and has two children Hugh, 13, and Cecilia, seven, said that when his grandmother died the family promised her they would keep in touch with Adrian.
The family visited Holmfirth at least once a year and last saw him in March. They were left devastated when he died.
“Jennie had put her mobile number into Adrian’s phone and after he had been attacked the police tried to get in touch,” said Edward.
“But by the time we got the message and contacted the police Adrian had died. If we had known sooner we would have dropped everything and driven up to have been with him at the end.”
Edward said Adrian, who retired four years ago, had a special place he always hoped to restore, an abandoned ‘secret garden’ halfway up a steep hill in Holmfirth.
“Adrian wanted to restore this place and put a bench in there and that is something we want to try to organise in his memory.
“Adrian loved the outdoors and that’s where he was at his happiest.
“He made homemade running shoes for romps across the moors. He also loved camping and told us stories of how he pitched his tent in some unusual places such as York racecourse and golf courses.
“For many years he lived in a ramshackle mobile home at Honley and that was where he was at his happiest.”
Edward said his uncle was a clever man who never fulfilled his academic potential because of health problems.
“He was very passionate about fairness and equality. He didn’t like the way society was going.
“He lived very frugally but liked to have a pint and held very strident views. He had quite a bit to deal with in his life that people probably don’t know about.”
Edward said a second post-mortem was due to be carried out and Adrian’s body had not yet been released. He and Oliver would publicise funeral arrangements as soon as they were known.
Jacob Crawshaw, 30, of Emscote Avenue, Halifax, has been charged with manslaughter and was remanded in custody.
