CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — A Facebook post made by his family states that Bill Cox, the man known to be behind Mr. Bill's Christmas Wonderland has died.
“We’re going to miss you 'Mr. Bill,' " Belinda Garza said. "And I just want to thank you and your family for helping us and bringing us beautiful Christmas memories.”
For decades, many people stopped by Cox's house on Hampton Street to see his Christmas display of lights, castles, nutcrackers and more.
“I was so heartbroken," Garza said, a Kingsville resident that visited the wonderland yearly. "I texted my daughter-in-law, texted my daughters and I couldn’t believe it. It was heartbreaking, but I hope, like I said, the tradition continues for everyone’s sake because I know it brings a lot of families together.”
It seems anyone who has passed by to see the display has made a memory.
“It’s pretty much been a tradition," said Kayla Elliot, a Corpus Christi resident. "Our family Christmas cards have been taken in front of Mr. Bill’s house, in his little sled decor that he has out there.”
Just seeing the Facebook post that announced his death will show you what Cox meant to the community.
“He’ll stand in his garage and talk through the microphone," said Elliot. "He’ll be the elves or the Santa and he’ll talk to the kids. Santa started talking to my son, and my son thought it was the greatest thing ever. He babbled on and on about it, probably still to this day because he really thinks Santa was talking to him.”
Cox would always try to incorporate something new to the display each year.
“There’s always something new," Garza said. "It’s more the Christmas spirit, seeing more and more people every time we go. It’s just an amazing thing.”
For the latest local news updatesclick here, or download the KRIS 6 News App.
