Person Record
Metadata
Name |
Williams, Merton |
Born |
June 26, 1900 |
Birthplace |
Seneca, KS |
Children |
Sharon Williams Arnold |
Deceased |
March 31, 1976 |
Deceased where |
Westminster, CO |
No Archives |
3 |
No Library |
5 |
No Objects |
4 |
No Photos |
8 |
Occupation |
He was a big jolly man with snow white hair and he was known as "Grandpa" or "Santa Claus to hundreds of youngsters in the Westminster area. Delivered the Denver Post on horseback Built a home at 7383 Lowell Boulevard and lived there at the time of his death. He worked construction, dug the basement of the Westminster High School building with a team of horses, delivered milk by horse and wagon for Carlson-Frink Dairy and worked as a dairy foreman. Worked in trucking for Wheelock Company and then ICX, driving tractor-trailer rigs until his retirement in 1967. A member of the Westminster Presbyterian Church and Westminster Historical Society. Because of his made-to-order appearance, and his love of children, Williams also portrayed Santa Claus at Westminster Schools, churches and nursing homes. For several years he was Santa for the Westminster Plaza Shopping Center arriving not by horse drawn surrey but in a helicopter. |
Othernames |
Mert Williams |
Places of residence |
Came to Colorado in a covered wagon when he was 2 years old The Williams family bought a farm at West 80th Avenue and Sheridan Blvd. and developed this area into one of the largest farms in the area. |
Spouse |
Mary Spickard - Married in 1929 |
Titles & honors |
Children were his principal outside interest and because of his dedication to them, the media center at Westminster Elementary School at 7482 Irving Street was dedicated and named in his honor in November, 1975. Photographs and other memorabilia are displayed at the center. |
Notes |
He was proud of the fact he was the longest time continous resident of Westminster. He and his black and white shetland pony, Thunder, were a familiar sight around town and in parades, with Thunder pulling a small black surrey, and Williams holding the reins. Scores of children who watched them were luck enough to get a ride in the surrey. |
