Friends and family of a Marine Corps veteran from Bridgeport held a fundraiser Saturday to help pay for his funeral.

They say 61-year-old Ezra Priest was a beloved member of the community whose caring heart touched every person he met. 

News 12 Connecticut first reported on Priest in 2018. The coverage helped the veteran, who had become homeless, secure a spot at Homes for the Brave, the Bridgeport shelter where he lived for the last few years of his life. 

"Ezra was a kind, good man who was a veteran and a patriot and is going to be missed, and we're asking everyone to come out and support the family,” says Priests’ friend, Elizabeth Greenwood.

Johnny Flynn, who also knew Priest, adds, "What people have been doing over the course of Ezra's life has been supporting him, but in this last effort, we need to support his family."

The memorial service took place at Lester Gee Funeral Home on Fairfield Avenue in Bridgeport on Thursday.  

A fund has been set up online to help Priest's family pay for his funeral expenses.