Grieving Widower Carries On Christmas Tradition Of Santa To Honor His Late Wife
December 06, 2018

Even though he's lost his Mrs. Claus, a grieving widower dresses as Santa to honor his late wife's dying wish.
Losing a loved one is never easy. And Christmas can be a difficult time of year after such a loss. But now that Suzanne, his wife of 25 years, is gone, it's especially tough for Charles Welke of Summerfield, North Carolina.
RELATED: Widower Didn’t Want to Face the Holidays Alone, Then He Left This Note
For Charles, Suzanne was his partner in all things. She was the tit to his tat, the ying to his yang, and, quite literally, the Mrs. Claus to his Mr. Claus.
For more than a decade, Charles has helped spread holiday cheer throughout the community in Summerfield by dressing up as Santa. It started with a cheap red suit and a fake beard. But over time, it blossomed into a beautiful Christmas tradition.
"Then I realized, hey wait a minute, I have white hair and a white beard so I grew my own,” Charles said.
It took some convincing to get Suzanne on board. But once Charles convinced his beloved wife to dress as Mrs. Claus, the duo spent more than a decade spreading joy side-by-side.
“I brought her out of her shell, and the first time she did Mrs. Claus, she loved it,” Charles lovingly recalled.
'Santa' Loses His 'Mrs. Claus'
But the day eventually came when Charles had to face Christmas without Mrs. Claus by his side.
Doctors diagnosed Suzanne with an aggressive form of brain cancer. And as the terrible disease took its toll on his beloved wife, it threatened to end the couple's beautiful Christmas tradition.
“She started getting her memory back after most of the tumor was taken out,” Charles said, “She realized that I was her husband but she didn't remember my name."
Having a front row seat to Suzanne's failing health was torture for Charles. He considered giving up.
"That's when I told her, 'babe - I can't do this without you,'" Charles confessed.
RELATED: Last Christmas Wish Honored When 3 Strangers Turn Up At Dying Man’s Door With Cards In Hand
But before going to be with the Lord, his wife's dying wish made sure Charles didn't lose his purpose.
"She shook her finger at me and she said, 'you need to be the best Santa you can be,'" Charles explained. "So I couldn't -- I couldn't stop.”
Credit: ABC NewsWidower Dresses As Santa In Honor Of Late Wife
And he didn't. Suzanne is no longer here to play Mrs. Claus. But year after year, the widower dresses as Santa to honor her memory and her final wish.
“It’s tough every Christmas, but this kind of keeps me above water,” Charles says.
Charles donates all of the money he earns from his Santa gigs to charity. This year, he's raising money for "My Angel With Paws," a group that trains service dogs in Florida.
The Christmas story Jesus' birth is all about hope. And as Charles puts on his special-made Santa suit to spread joy to kids in the community, he finds he's blessed just as much by the experience.
YOU MAY ALSO LIKE: Little Girl Befriends Lonely Widower At Grocery Store She Called ‘Old’
“The things that you bring out and children, you know, the innocence and the beliefs...it's incredible,” he said.
h/t: ABC News
Featured Image Credit: Getty/nebari
Today's Devotional
A Prayer for Encouragement in the Waiting Season - Your Daily Prayer - July 9
If waiting is you down, let this prayer help you notice the quiet, steady ways God is still blessing you.
Today's Devotional
A Prayer for Encouragement in the Waiting Season - Your Daily Prayer - July 9
If waiting is you down, let this prayer help you notice the quiet, steady ways God is still blessing you.
Past Stories
- She’s Raising Two Sons with a Rare Condition—and Showing Others How They Thrive
- A Neighbor's Call Saves the Life of a Newborn Baby Whose Mom Had Passed Away
- After Months of Paralysis and a Ventilator, Mom Talks to Young Son and Tells Him 'I Love You'
- Shelter Dog Detects a Stranger's Medical Emergency and Becomes a Hero
- Grieving the Loss of Their Daughter, They Chose to Keep Fostering Hope
- Gloria and Bernice, Identical Twins Turn 100, Celebrate Decades of Memories
- Father of Three Dies After Being Struck By Lightning While On Golf Course
- Married 18 Years, Parents of 4 Are Both Diagnosed with Stage 4 Cancer
- He Lost His Wife. She Lost Her Husband. Together, They Found a New Beginning
- She Earned Her Degree, Then Gave Her Dad a Second Chance at Life
- They Were Told Their Pup Had Been Hit By a Car, 4 Years Later They Found Her Alive
- New York Soccer Coach Collapses On the Field, Parents Jump in to Save Him
- Community Gathers to Remember 12-Year-Old Girl Who Died in a Scooter Accident
- After Surviving Family Tragedies, Stroke, and Coma, Teen Walks in Her Graduation Ceremony
- Civilian Stops to Save Woman in a Burning Car, 'It Could Have Been My Mom'
- They Adopted a Baby Boy, Then Extended Extraordinary Grace to His Birth Mother
- Cancer Survivor Shocks Everyone With His 4th Lottery Win
- Brian Wilson, Co-Founder of the Beach Boys, Passes Away at 82
- Vietnam Vet Passes Away, His Mailman Rushes to Adopt His Dog
- 4-Year-Old Called a Hero After Teacher Collapses at Daycare, and She Knows Exactly What to Do
- After 100-Mile Journey, Including a Swim, Missing Golden Retriever Mix is Finally Back Home
- Life Delayed Her Dream, But Didn’t Deny it. At 88, She Became a Graduate, and Witness to God’s Timing
- Gary Sinise Opens Up About His Son’s Death and the Gift of Grandfatherhood
- Young Girl is Saved by Good Samaritan After Falling 15 Feet Into a Waterfall
- Retired Alaska State Trooper Helps Rescue Husband Pinned by 700-lb Boulder
- 9 Year Old Boy Saves Mom and Newborn Sister By Calling 911, 'My Mom Could Have Died'
- Police Escort Paralyzed Teen to Prom Years After Childhood Shooting
- Young Boy in Wheelchair Walks at His Kindergarten Graduation, Surprising His Family
- Woman Credits Her Faith After Tire Flies Through SUV Windshield in Near-Death Crash
- 98-Year-Old Twins Cherish Life, Love, and Faith While Living Next Door to One Another
- Airman Served in WW2, Now He is Finally Coming Home 81 Years After He Died
- Teens Are Heroes After Saving Family From Fire On Their Prom Night
- She Survived 3 Weeks Lost in the Wild, Fighting Off Animals and Snowstorms
- Triplets Graduate From Texas Tech Together, All Earning Degrees in Media and Communication
- She Lost Her Son's Baby Book, But It Was Returned to Her at the Right Moment
- Man and His Dog Reunited After Being Hit by Drunk Driver
- Nurse With Caring Spirit Says Yes to Dying Mother's Wish For Her Son, and It's Beautiful
- She Never Told Her Friends She Was the School Mascot, Then Shares Her Secret at Graduation
- Mom Donates Kidney to Daughter, Now They’re Graduating Nursing School Together
- Grieving Son Finds Kindness When Trying to Print a Photo of His Mother Who Just Passed Away
- Nebraska Mom Raised Concerns About Husband's Mental Health Before Tragic Murder-Suicide
- Brothers Discover 1976 Message in a Bottle, Then Find the Man Who Wrote It
- California High School Discovers They Have 14 Sets of Twins in Their Graduating Class
- Paralyzed Pup Tyrion Finds New Life With a Doggie Wheelchair
- Autistic 8-Year-Old Boy Goes Missing, Found by Water Thanks to Quick Response
- Two Nurses Come to the Rescue of a Teen Girl in the Process of Being Kidnapped
- Brave Man Jumps Into Water to Save Woman After She Was Attacked By Bull Shark
- She Was Going to Miss Prom After Breaking Her Back at a Trampoline Park, the Hospital Had Other Plans
- Mom Finds Hope After Tragedy, Hears Her Daughter’s Heartbeat in a Child Who Got a Second Chance
- 90-Year-Old Cancer Survivor Has Saved Over 10,000 Animals, and She’s Still Not Slowing Down
Top Music Videos

Bill and Gloria Gaither Guy Penrod's Stirring Live Performance of 'Then Came The Morning'

Oak Ridge Boys 'Jesus Is Coming Soon' The Oak Ridge Boys

Kari Jobe Kari Jobe’s Powerful Live ‘Who Else’ Performance

Universal Music Group Pat Barrett Releases Powerful ‘Praise The Lord Forever’ Lyric Video

Oak Ridge Boys 'Because He Lives' Classic Performance From The Oak Ridge Boys
Blog
At GodTube, you’ll find daily inspirational videos to lift your spirits and encourage you in your walk with God. Popular videos include worship music from your favorite Christian artists, cute videos with adorable kids and animals, hilarious videos from Christian comedians, user-uploaded videos, and clean viral videos to brighten your day.