HOLIDAY SPIRIT
18: SPACE COAST LIVING | SPACECOASTLIVING.COM
HOLIDAYS 2022
t was 39 years ago when Willard
Davis aka Suntree Santa Claus
first wore the red suit, passed out
candy and listened to children as
they sat on his lap
telling him their
Christmas wishes.
At that time, Davis was stationed with
the U.S. Air Force in Myrtle Beach, South
Carolina, and stepped into the role after
a request from the officers’ wives club for
a children’s holiday party.
“I had always had the desire to be
Santa Claus – from way back in my
childhood,” Davis said. “I loved the idea
and have always believed in the magic of
Christmas and the importance of Santa
Claus as part of the holiday.”
According to Davis, it was his wife,
Sachiko, who first suggested he dress
up as St. Nicholas, aka Santa Claus. The
couple had met at a prayer service while
he was stationed at Kadena Air Force
Base in Okinawa, Japan. They married
eight months later.
“My wife suggested I dress up as Santa
and we were hopeful I could perform
the task, but unfortunately, due to a
motorcycle accident I incurred shortly
before the holiday season where I
WILLARD DAVIS PHOTOS
endured major injuries, and as a result,
I was unable to start my Santa Claus
ventures and prayed that I’d soon have
another opportunity to do so.”
BEGINNING THE ROLE
After crushing his right leg in the
accident, he was sent back to Lackland
AFB in Texas where he recovered and
was then transferred to Myrtle Beach
AFB, where he served as a maintenance
superintendent.
“Thankful I was alive and well; it was
then I began to revive my interest to
start taking on the role as Santa Claus,
both as a volunteer and seeking small
Willard Davis has portrayed Santa Claus on the Space Coast since 1997.
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