Bay City’s Mary Ida Doan elected into Santa Claus Hall of Fame
MLIVE.com
December 21, 2012
By Joshua Roesner
For decades, Mary Ida Doan, has been making spirits bright as Bay City’s own Mrs. Claus.
Now Doan, a co-founder of Bay City’s Santa House, is being honored as 2012 inductee into the Santa Claus Hall of Fame in Santa Claus, Ind.
“I am very honored and very, very surprised,” Doan said. “My late husband and I will be the first couple inducted.”
She joins five others in this year’s class, including Mickey Rooney, who did the voice of Santa in the 1970 Christmas special “Santa Claus is Coming to Town.”
She has a huge history in Michigan, said Phillip Wenz, spokesman for the Hall of Fame and another member of the inaugural 2010 class. “This is a very strong class with lots of tradition.
Doan’s husband, Nate, was a member of the inaugural Santa Claus Hall of Fame Class in 2010. The couple played Santa and Mrs. Claus at numerous public and private events over several decades, and are the namesakes of the Nate and Mary Ida Doan Santa House on JFK Drive in Veteran’s Park.