Well-known Hazard businessman John Clutts dies at 53 after ALS battle
Hazard lost a familiar business name when John Samuel Clutts died at 53 after a nearly two-year ALS battle. His funeral procession drew a flag display from the Hazard Fire Department, underscoring his place in the community.
John Samuel Clutts, a lifelong Hazard businessman whose family name has been tied to local car sales for decades, died April 10 at age 53 after battling ALS.
Clutts was vice president of Clutts Auto Sales and spent 30 years working side by side with his father, Melvin Clutts. His obituary described him as a lifelong resident of Hazard, born May 29, 1972, and said he built his life around the dealership, his family and the community that knew him for years through daily business and personal connections.
Clutts Auto Sales has operated since 1979 and is located at 120 Fitz Gilbert Rd. in Hazard. The dealership’s long run in Perry County helps explain why John Clutts’ death resonated beyond one household. For many residents, the Clutts name has been part of the local business landscape for most of their lives, from sales floor conversations to the rhythms of a family-owned operation serving Eastern Kentucky.
His obituary and local coverage also pointed to the personal side of that life. It said Clutts gave back to the community and spent time at his favorite place, the golf course, with his sons. The notice also listed family members including Nancy Clutts, Gavin Clutts, Bradyn Clutts, Waylon Clutts, Brandy Clutts, Colin Clutts and Connor Clutts, reflecting the large circle left to carry his memory forward.
The community response made clear that Clutts was seen as more than a businessman. A funeral procession was held April 14, and the Hazard Fire Department displayed the American flag during the procession in recognition of his decades of dedication to the community. That gesture placed his death squarely in civic terms, as a loss felt not only by family and customers, but by the broader network of people who had known him through work, neighborhood life and local tradition.
ALS had taken a toll over nearly two years, but Clutts remained closely identified with the business and the family name that helped build it. In Hazard, where long-running companies often become part of the town’s identity, his death marks the loss of a familiar face, a family partner and a steady presence in one of Perry County’s best-known local businesses.
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