Dwight Radcliff,
October 4, 1954- July 31, 2010
Funeral Service for Dwight Radcliff
10:00 AM
Saturday, August, 7, 2010
First AME Church of Los Angeles
2270 South Harvard Boulevard
Los Angeles, California 90018
"Our thoughts and prayers are with the family of Dwight Radcliff a longtime friend of First AME Church of Los Angeles.He dedicated his life to serving others. As president of United States Veterans Initiative, Dwight Radcliff, helped to provide job training and placement, counseling and housing to more than 2,000 veterans and their families. May God comfort the hearts of his family and all who mourn his passing."
~ Pastor John J. Hunter and First Lady Denise Hunter
Dwight Radcliff Service, Viewing & Condolence Information
Celebration of Life
Saturday, August 7, 2010 - 10a.m.
First African Methodist Episcopal Church of Los Angeles
2270 South Harvard Boulevard
Los Angeles, CA 90018-2142
Repass will follow, location TBD.
The viewing will be held at Harrison-Ross Funeral Home.
Thursday, August 5th, 10am to 8pm
Friday , August 6th, 10am to 8pm
• Address: 4601 Crenshaw Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90043-1209 - See Map
• Telephone: (323) 584-1230
Sending Condolences to the Family
To send condolences to the Radcliff Family, you may email the family at the following email address: radclifffamily1@yahoo.com.
Cards can be mailed to the following address:
ATTN: Radcliff Family
U.S.VETS-Inglewood
733 South Hindry Avenue
Inglewood, CA 90301
Tribute contributions in Dwight’s honor can be mailed to:
U.S.VETS
Attention: In Honor of Dwight Radcliff
800 W. 6th Street, Suite 1505
Los Angeles, CA 90017
To make an online contribution to U.S.VETS in Dwight’s honor click here.
Acknowledgement of your contribution will be sent to the Radcliff family.
You can also leave comments at the following blog page,
set up by MilitaryConnection.com: A Heroes’ Hero.
Obituary
Air Force veteran Dwight Radcliff dies at 55; counseled homeless troops.
Dwight Radcliff, 55, an Air Force veteran who overcame homelessness to lead a national organization providing services for former troops facing similar obstacles, died July 31 at a hospital near his home in Los Angeles after a heart attack.
As president and chief executive of the U.S. Veterans Initiative, Mr. Radcliff led a nonprofit organization that provides job training and placement, counseling and housing to more than 2,000 veterans and their families in five states and the District.
Last month, the group broke ground on a $34.9 million affordable housing development for low-income veterans near Los Angeles International Airport.
"Dwight was the kind of guy who, from where I sit on the government side, gave us a good sense of what was going on at street level," said Peter Dougherty, national director of homeless programs at the Veterans Affairs Department, who had known Mr. Radcliff for 20 years.
"Dwight never looked to get into the spotlight, he always looked to get things done. He cared so much for his fellow veterans and that led him to be an inspiration for so many of us."
Dwight Radcliff was born in Los Angeles on Oct. 4, 1954, and served in the Air Force from 1971 to 1974. He later suffered the hardships of homelessness and substance abuse.
In a 2003 article in the Los Angeles Times, Mr. Radcliff addressed his experience and how he sought services at a residential facility in West Los Angeles.
He got his life back on track and earned a certificate in drug and alcohol counseling at the University of California at Los Angeles. It was a path he said other homeless vets could follow.
Mr. Radcliff joined U.S. Vets in nearby Inglewood in 1997. He developed Veterans in Progress, a job reentry and housing program. He was appointed president by the U.S. Vets board of directors in 2008.
Survivors include his wife, Paulette; five children; his mother; a sister; and three grandchildren.
