Hugh-Hugh-Hugh! Now the secret can be told.
Brantford’s well-known real estate broker-turned educator Hugh Foy, was secretly Santa Claus.
Hugh, who died Jan. 13 at the age of 76, was often called Mr. Christmas for the enormous holiday village of decorations and Department 56 buildings he and his wife filled their home with each year and the way he welcomed the community to come and see it.
But, unless one was part of a secret group of Christmas helpers, you wouldn’t know what Hugh did on Christmas Eve.
“He was Santa Claus,” says Jennifer Church, who was drawn into Hugh’s Christmas circle of friends.
Each year, said Church, the group identified families in need due to something “life-altering” that may have happened during the year, such as a death or the loss of a job.
“He knew everyone’s name but never told us their last names to protect their privacy,” said Church. “I asked him why he didn’t tell The Expositor that he was Santa, delivering gifts every Christmas Eve, but he told me that he wanted to protect (the families) from prying eyes.”
Even Hugh’s wife of 35 years, June Wilson, didn’t know the details of all those helped but she was fully involved in orchestrating plans for the biggest night of the year for “Santa Hugh.”
“It started at least 25 years ago when some members of the Pioneer Social Club wanted to help the community and came up with the idea of adopting a family at Christmas with a full Christmas dinner and gifts for all the children,” says June.
What began with one family expanded to about 16, with up to 40 children to buy for and involved 40 or 50 community members shopping, wrapping and organizing the big Christmas Eve logistics as Santa’s sack was repeatedly emptied and repacked.
“Every kid was spoiled with 10 to 15 gifts, clothing and gift cards and a full dinner for mom and dad and it was all done anonymously.”
Once deliveries were complete, the team grouped at the Foy home and Santa Hugh would give a little report on his reception at the various homes – still protecting the identities of the families involved.
“It made our Christmas,” says June.
COVID put the project on pause and, when Santa’s helpers regrouped last year, it was with the knowledge that Hugh couldn’t complete his annual journey. He had glioblastoma, a type of cancer that eventually ended his life at his Burford home.
But he knew that a younger team had taken over his dream job, delivering Christmas joy to a new group of families on Dec. 24th.
Along with his secret Santa role, Hugh was known as a busy local broker and real estate teacher in the 80s and 90s, writing many of the courses he taught.
In 2001, the Toronto Real Estate Board hired him as its chief development officer and, for 15 years he worked with that group while continuing to teach.
“When COVID hit, we learned how to work Zoom so he could keep teaching around Ontario and in other provinces as well,” says June. “He was a born educator with a strong moral compass.”
Hugh served three times as president for the local real estate board and was on the boards for Ontario and Canada as well.
He was involved in numerous charities, including acting as the auctioneer for the annual celebrity-filled Gretzky auction.
After retirement, Hugh continued to teach and became Brantford’s first Uber driver.
“He loved talking to people,” says June. “Once you met him, you were his friend.”
Hugh’s daughter, Hanna Foy, said her father “never sat still” and taught her to be interested in people, with a non-judgmental attitude.
Along with June and Hanna, with her spouse Derek, Hugh leaves his son, Glen, and stepchildren Jamie (Harry) and Chris (Kara), seven grandchildren, plus his siblings Marian, Margo and Russell.
A service was held Sunday at Keith Ovington Funeral Home in Burford and the family is requesting donations in Hugh’s memory be made to the Stedman Outreach program.
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