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GREENSBORO — Luther Clegg spent most of his life selling everything from brushes and light bulbs to polishes and cleaners out of the Fuller Brush bag he lugged from house to house across the city.

He’d stop by for a sale and most nights, stay for dinner with one of his customers. He watched children and grandchildren grow up, shared homemade remedies for their illnesses, and often brought by little gifts as a thank you for the meals.

And over the years, his earnestness, generosity and independence endeared him to the many customers who now call themselves friends.

Clegg, who sold door-to-door until two years ago when ill health sent him to a nursing home, celebrated his 90th birthday Sunday with more than two dozen of those customers-turned-friends.

“It makes me feel right important,” Clegg said. “Whether I am or not, I don’t know.”

Friends have no question about Clegg’s importance.

Clegg looked out for customers, like when Ken Kemp had back surgery.

“One of the last things he brought was one of these bracelet magnets,” said Kemp, 66. “He is so thoughtful.”

Three generations of Kemps attended the party. Kemp’s son, Korky Kemp, 34, remembers Clegg toting his bag full of wares and staying for dinner when he was growing up.

“Luther’s kind of like a family friend,” he said. He’d brought his 20-month-old daughter, Ellie, to meet Clegg.

Clegg once gave Maura Barber an old, leather-bound dictionary that he’d used as a child. He was always generous. And funny.

She remembers taking Clegg to an urgent care center once when his feet had swollen so much that she feared he had a clot.

“He charmed everyone,” she said.

People gathered around Clegg on Sunday for pictures, which Mary Gay Brady plans to put into an album for him.

He has no close family left in Greensboro, where he grew up, so over the years customers folded him into their own families.

Ken Kemp hopes to organize the friends into regular visits with Clegg at the nursing home.

He loves to talk to people, Brady said.

“I think his attitude toward life makes him very special,” she said.

Anyone interested in reaching Clegg can contact Mary Kate Farley at mkfarley@earthlink.com.

Contact Jennifer Fernandez at 373-7064 or jennifer.fernandez@news-record.com