Tributes flow for ‘the one and only’ Gold Coast Santa R.J Strohfeldt

Family and friends have paid tribute to a long-serving Gold Coast shopping centre ‘Santa’ who died during the festive season after suffering a long illness. Read the tributes.

Tributes have poured in for a beloved long-serving Gold Coast Santa who died on Tuesday following a long illness.

R.J “Santa” Strohfeldt had spent more than 30 years in the red suit at venues across the city.

His wife Miki Strohfeldt took to social media to announce he had died in the middle of the festive season.

“Thanks to the hospital staff Santa did not suffer. He looked as if he was sleeping and that’s the image of him I wanted to remember,” Mrs Strohfeldt wrote on Facebook.

“I said to him, ‘I’ll send you an invitation. Don’t miss out (on) your own funeral. See you there’ - then I left.

“Thank you guys (and) his Facebook friends for warm comments. It’s nice to know he was loved by so many people.”

R.J "Santa" Strohfeldt at the Broadwater. Picture: Richard Gosling

Mrs Strohfeldt said her husband had been suffering from kidney disease.

Just days before his death she revealed he may need to be moved to the palliative care unit.

“I’ve been told nothing more can be done to improve his health,” she said.

“I’ll post again when or if he’ll be moved to the palliative care unit.”

Friend Kasira Lobegeiger described R.J as “the one and only Santa”.

“Thank you for being a friend, thank you for always being there, thank you for all the amazing things you have done and all the lives you have touched,” Ms Lobegeiger wrote on social media.

“The Gold Coast will never forget such a legend and won’t be the same without Santa.”

R.J Strohfeldt died after a long illness. Picture: Richard Gosling

Tara Quinn said she had known the “merry man” for many years.

“I’m glad to hear you did not suffer but your presence will be missed,” Ms Quinn wrote on Facebook.

“Miki, I’m so sorry for your loss. My condolences to friends and family who shared moments with this merry man.”

In early December, R.J opened up about being “absolutely desperate” to find a home amid the city’s rental crisis.

He was renting a friend’s room while the original occupant was travelling.

“I’m 67 right now and my wife is 54, I don’t know how we are going to survive,” R.J said at the time.

“We aren’t going to be able to sleep under a bridge.”

Santa ran as a candidate in the 2016 Gold Coast City Council elections. Picture: Scott Fletcher

In 2016 he unsuccessfully ran as a candidate in the Gold Coast City Council election.

In an interview with the Bulletin around the same time, he revealed festive cheer ran in the family, with his father and grandfather having worn the red suit as well.

“So I guess you could say I’m a third-generation Santa in a way,” R.J said at the time.

“I grew up in Sydney but I moved to the Gold Coast, strewth it must be more than 30 years ago now, and this is home.”

He said kids still recognised him in the streets as Santa, even when wearing a hoodie.

“I think being Santa is part of me now. It’s in my nature.” R.J said.

“I think the most important thing about Christmas is fun and getting together with the people you love – not the presents.”