It is with great sorrow that we communicate the death of Clóvis Caesar Gonzaga, an emblematic figure in the area of mathematical optimization. To bid Clóvis farewell, those who had the privilege of calling him a friend wish with this note to pay a tribute to his work and his role in the growth and strengthening of the international optimization community and, especially, Brazil's. May the opera and music that Clóvis loved throughout his life continue to play in his honor.