GRAND CHUTE, Wis. (WFRV) - He was Santa Claus to everyone, and Russell Motschenbacher to some. Just a couple weeks after the holiday he embodied, the icon passed away in his home state of Montana at the age of 87. "It was like losing a family member, it felt that way. We’re just so thankful to his family for sharing him with us for all those years," Jessica Angell of Darboy said. "I don’t think anyone from the Fox Valley who met him will ever forget him. He’s always going to have a special place in their hearts." De Pere High School senior traveling to Nottingham, England with Team USA synchronized skating For 24 years, he was the figure in the big red chair at the Fox River Mall, appearing in thousands of photos over his two-decade reign. "It just makes me feel good and I love to see children smile," Santa told Local 5's Chelly Boutott in 2013. He did more than make children smile, he made everyone feel like family. "I said to my husband, 'It’s like he’s part of this family,'" Mina Thao recalled. "And my husband was like ‘yes, he is, it’s like he’s a distant relative, a grandfather of sorts to our kids’ because even though we see him once a year, it was always exciting to go see him at the mall and take pictures with him." Abby Angell, now 18 years old, worried how her bond with Santa would be affected after her brother was born when she was 11. "I just remember he was so nice and caring, and he always had room on his lap when my brother entered the picture," she said. "He was just so nice, and he always had a good thing to say, even if I didn’t remember a memory he would always say ‘I remember when you were this small.’ and it was always just so magical." The visit to Santa was one of the most special nights of the year for the Angell kids. Abby says she will always remember him, and hopes other people will, too. “I just hope they remember what a kind man he was and how caring he was and that he’d help anyone even if they couldn’t be there, he’d always be there in spirit," she said. "And he always wanted to help out and give a hug.” Every minute with Santa was precious for the Angell family. "Kids would come home from school and it was 'the Santa night' and we would plan it out so we would have time to visit with him," mom Jessica said. "We would always go right before Thanksgiving when it was quieter so we’d have that extra time to chat with Santa." His persona in the photo-op area or anywhere else in the mall always seemingly possessed unmatchable kindness. "You just felt that magic as you approached him with that soft-spoken demeanor. And anyone would believe it if they talked to him," Jessica said. "You would see him in the mall walking on his breaks, and he would talk to everyone along the way." Mina Thao experienced that firsthand a couple of weeks before Thanksgiving one year ago as she shopped in the mall with her two-year-old. "She was saying ‘It’s Santa.’ And I was like ‘No it’s not, it’s November.’ But it was him! So that was a fun memory because he stopped and she got to visit with him early and she felt so special," Thao said. "He’s always going to be part of our family. He touched so many lives in the Fox Valley, he’s always going to be our Santa. It’s sad to hear, but he did make a difference." “He didn’t age, he was the magic of Christmas," Jessica said. "I hope no one ever forgets his smile, his caring demeanor, his soft-spoken ways. Just how he could make anyone believe." Fox Den coming to heart of Downtown Appleton Santa told Local 5 in a 2013 story that he loved hearing the unexpected anecdotes that kids share with him. He also mentioned that there were many questions that kids had for Santa. Here's a handful of the best and most delightful responses. Q: how is he able to visit everyone in one night? "You got to remember, it’s not nighttime all the time. So I’ve got more than a few hours, I just follow as the sun goes down. But there is magic, also." Q: What if someone's home doesn't have a chimney? "There's always a door. And it’s amazing how mom and dad cooperate with Santa." Q: Has any kid tried to catch you on Christmas Eve? "I’ve been close. I had one hanging on my boot as I was going up the chimney." Q: Do you always wear the same pants? "No, actually I wore out a few pairs of pants from children sliding on and off." Q: How can I get off the naughty list and onto the nice list? "Start listening to the parents. And that’s all the time, not just when you want to." Q: It was a touching moment as a concerned girl with a look of worry on her face asked, "When are you going to come again?" "I will be at your house on Christmas Eve."