Local 'Santa,' 13-year veteran, dies

SAND LAKE, Mich. (WOOD) - "He was Santa Claus," said his wife, Marion Schestag. "Everyone said he was the most realistic Santa."

The man who looked and lived like Santa, Russell Schestag, died of a heart attack Sunday at his Sand Lake home. He was 67.

"He was the most generous man I've ever known," his wife said.

Schestag began playing Santa for one little boy 26 years ago. That boy, Brian "Moose" Gonzalez, is now a Marine and will be a pallbearer at Schestag's funeral on Thursday.

His wife told 24 Hour News 8 the couple often took on needy families and "one year in the 1980s we took on 18 families." Marion said she'd go out and buy gifts, wrap them, and then Santa would deliver them to unsuspecting children on Christmas Eve.

Russell Schestag had been having heart problems, and was taking the medication prescribed after he left the hospital October 27. On Sunday, the day he died, he helped put a trailer hitch on someone else's fifth wheel.

He sat down on a bench outside his barn, his wife said. Someone told her he wasn't feeling well and she went outside and sat next to him.

"He dropped his head and died," she said.

Schestag was a Marine between 1959-72 and played in the Marine band. But he had no life insurance policy, just his Social Security checks and a VA disability.

Family members cannot afford to pay for a funeral. So in lieu of flowers, they ask that you consider a donation to the Russ Schestag "Santa" Memorial set up at Choice One Bank.

Besides Marion, Mr. Schestag is survived by his children Kristen (Earl) Fisk of Pierson, Melissa (Jason) Hill of Whit hill, Tenn., Melissa (Bill) Simonson, 15 grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.

Visitation will be held 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Thursday at Pierson Bible Church, 101 W. Grand St. in Pierson, followed by a celebration of life service.

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