GASTON COUNTY, N.C. — The man who is the face of Santa in thousands of local homes died on Wednesday.
Those who knew Bob Propst said he and his wife were the embodiment of Mr. and Mrs. Claus. He was a department store Santa in Gastonia and Charlotte for 20 years.
People lined up for hours at a stand in Shelby to take pictures with him.
Propst gained notoriety five years ago when his wife died before Christmas. At the time, he returned to work because before she died, she told him the children needed him.
“He was Santa 24-7”
— Ken (@kenlemonWSOC9) December 16, 2021
The man behind what may be the most famous face of Santa in Gastonia died days before Christmas. Robert Propst took thousands of pictures at @Dillards & @belk for 20 years. He & his wife made their home like the North Pole. He passed Wednesday. pic.twitter.com/sANVamUOnt
Propst stopped work when he was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis. He would occasionally go back to Eastridge Mall in Gastonia to see how his hand-picked replacement was doing.
“Santa stuff in every corner of his house,” said photographer Rick Boulware. “He lived Santa 24/7.”
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