Big Andy. That was what everyone called him. William Andrew Clifton was 70 years old when he died on March 29, 2026, at Jackson-Madison County General Hospital. He was born on April 18, 1955, in Ellenville, New York, to Rose and Morris Heit, but he was no city soul. He was country through and through, rough around the edges in the most endearing way, a man who never put on airs and never pretended to be something he wasn’t.
He lived life the way he wanted. Strong-willed. Free-spirited. Unapologetically himself. In Savannah, Tennessee, where he built his life, he became a memorable figure, not because he sought attention, but because he was impossible to forget. He enjoyed the simple pleasures, the everyday activities that brought him joy and connected him to the people around him.
Thomas Andrew Ervin, his son; Laura Naomi Clifton, his daughter; and Perry Ervin, Cleveland Ervin, Tucker Ervin, Kylie Dailey, Alexis Dailey, and Ashton Dailey are Andy’s surviving grandkids. Additionally, he leaves behind friends and extended relatives who will cherish his distinct personality, his tales, and the way he infused every event with a special vitality. His family cherishes the memory of a guy who was both strong-willed and incredibly compassionate, whose enjoyment of the little things had a profound effect on those who were closest to him.
On April 2, 2026, a Celebration of Life will be place at 3:00 p.m., with visits starting at 2:30 p.m. It will be an occasion for loved ones to get together, tell tales of Andy’s extravagant personality, laugh, cry, and remember a guy who was so important to so many. Those who knew him will talk of his tenacity, his self-reliance, his ability to be tough yet kind, and the way he lived life according to his own terms. They will start the gradual process of mending and remember the man who was Big Andy.
No specific cause of death has been publicly detailed beyond his passing at the hospital. His family has chosen to focus on celebrating the life he lived, the 70 years he spent on this earth, the legacy he left behind. And what a legacy it is. A man who never pretended to be anything other than what he was. A country soul who appreciated the simple things. A father, a grandfather, a friend. A man called Big Andy.
He is gone now, but the stories remain. The laughter, the arguments, the quiet moments, the way he could fill a room with his presence. His children will carry him forward. His grandchildren will grow up hearing about the man their grandfather was. And in Savannah, where he lived and was known, his memory will not fade. William Andrew Clifton, Big Andy, a true country soul, rest easy. You lived the way you wanted, and you will not be forgotten.