Obituaries

Alan Robert Burns, Former Northlake Mall Santa, Dies at 57

The retired BellSouth supervisor died in his Tennessee home from complications related to pancreatic cancer on Aug. 7.

Alan Robert Burns, who portrayed Santa Claus at for years, died Aug. 7. He was 57, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported.

The retired BellSouth supervisor died in his Tennessee home from complications related to pancreatic cancer.

From the story:

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Mr. Burns, a retired BellSouth Corp. supervisor, portrayed Santa Claus at area shopping centers, including DeKalb County's Northlake Mall. He enjoyed children, appreciated their occasional gifts and their letters delighted him. He made his portrayal of Santa Claus a second career of sorts.

"He loved it," said Sandra Underwood Burns, his wife of 11 years. "He looked forward to it, and said it was one of the most fun experiences in his life. I supported him because I could tell how much he enjoyed the children."

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He was a 1972 graduate of Shamrock High School, now . A memorial will be held at 1pm Saturday at First United Methodist Church of Lawrenceville.

Read the AJC story for more details.


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