Local Santa’s Attend Gatlinburg Convention

BY BILL McKEE
BRISTOL HERALD COURIER

GATLINBURG, Tenn. – Several gentlemen who don the red suit in the Tri-Cities region traveled to Gatlinburg this week for Celebrate Santa 2009.

Among those attending the international Santa convention are Dunk Duncan, known by many as Pappy the Clown, a new convert to the Santa suit, and Vic Jones, a Norton, Va., resident who at 86 is the oldest known Santa here. Others include Alan Burns from Bluff City, Tenn., another recent addition to Santa’s list of helpers, and Harold McClure from Kingsport, Tenn. Well-known local Santa Jerry Rector could not attend the gathering due to a prior commitment.

Jones recalled Monday how he recently received a letter from a teacher who still remembers and cherishes his Santa visits when she was 5 years old.

“I remember your jingle bells and ‘Ho, Ho, Ho’ as you came up our stairs,” she wrote. “I got a blonde doll but I always coveted my sister’s pink, tutu-bedecked ballerina. I remember sitting on your lap and being shy.”

Jones also talked about the year long ago that Norton almost didn’t have a Christmas parade. A 6-year-old boy came running into the downtown Norton business that Jones managed and said, “Mister, mister, mister. ... Mister, there is no Christmas parade this year! I won’t get to see Santa,’ ” he sobbed.

Jones confirmed the story and learned that with just a few days to go before a parade, no one had organized one.

“I looked back at the face of this sad little boy and I said, ‘Yes, there will be a parade this year!’ ” Jones said.

Three days later, fire trucks, a truck carrying candy for the children and other assorted vehicles drove through Norton in a makeshift parade.

“I put this little boy on the fire truck right beside Santa,” Jones said. “He really got to see Santa Claus that year.”

The little boy, Henry Yeary Jr., died six months later from an unexpected illness. “I never dreamed this would be his last Christmas,” Jones said. “This was the beginning for me to be Norton’s parade organizer for more than 25 years. Every year, I dedicated the parade to the memory of little Henry Yeary Jr. I will always remember this little boy at Christmas.”

Rector, who has appeared in the Bristol Christmas parade for 14 years and the Johnson City event for seven, said in a phone interview Monday that children are the most important thing for Santa. He spoke of some of his favorite stops, including visiting nursing homes and schools. One of his stops this year included the Mountain Mission School in Grundy, Va.

“That is one I definitely want to make again next year,” Rector said. “It was very touching to see how those in charge at the school cared for each and every one of those children. It warmed my heart and reminded me again the true meaning of Christmas,” he said.

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