Bill Hixson in his ornament room.
Last night I received the news that Bill Hixson, aka Mr. Christmas, passed away peacefully in his home yesterday afternoon. I had just talked with him two days earlier, and made arrangements to go have a meatloaf lunch together this coming week. The news is devastating. I have known Mr. Hixson since he bought what was to become Hixson’s Flower Barn in the 1950's, as my uncle had been one of the people helping him acquire the property from mutual friend Francis O'Brien. Bill rented then purchased the horse and buggy/car wash, then turned it into a must-go-for-Christmas destination for everyone in Northern Ohio and the world.
Bill opened his first Lakewood store in 1953, moving it to its current location in 1959. In the early days, Bill had classes on flower arranging, teaching students how to make gold Christmas angels for the table, and pine cones wreaths. Many people do not realize that Bill Hixson, along with a chemistry student from Kent State, helped to invent “Oasis,” which is the green clay/foam in the bottom of most flower arrangements in the world. Bill also created the largest flower design/arrangement school in Japan, a culture and people he loved.
One of his early students was Nancy Clarke, who became White House Floral Director for the Reagans. That year she invited Bill to join the team and help decorate the White House. Soon it became an annual tradition to go to Washington and decorate a tree. This happened nearly every year, through different administrations, with very few exceptions.
Bill waiting for the next customer in the Christmas Tree Room.
Over the decades, Hixson’s Flower Barn became more and more Bill's House of Collectables and Great Memories. You cannot have Bill’s love of life and wonderment, and a store like Hixson’s, without it becoming a living, working museum and store. You could find treasures, things all of us remembered from when we were kids, right next to the latest trends in decorations and holiday gifts.
You could not be with Bill for long before his inner child would start to show. His eyes would light up as he talked about the past, and his past. When we would sit and talk, everything was on the table, from Christmas, to Easter, from home life, to Japanese orphanages he helped, from Presidential politics, to who was the best to work with. His eyes would grow large, and twinkling, his excitement building. He always had the ability to take me back, and for that matter, anyone back to their childhood and happier times. He was Mr. Christmas.
Eunice Sowiak joined the team in 1963 and became an equal partner and lifelong special friend, helping run the business while allowing Bill to be Bill. This gave Bill time to talk with customers and tell his stories. These ranged from his happiest Christmas, at the age of 8, when he got a flashlight, allowing him to read books under the covers, to a serious discussion he had with Hillary Clinton. Every conversation was pretty close to what talking to Santa must be like. When Eunice died last year, many of us wondered about Bill.
I tried to step up visits, never enough for Bill, and the lists of things we would do tomorrow grew and grew. At one point I was there with Dave Beuhler, owner of the Templar Museum; our visit ended with Bill turning to me asking, “When are we going to go drive these cars?”
Lately he had been losing weight, and we would talk about what he loved to eat, and what he could still eat. A recent episode had me talking with Bill about upcoming Christmas ornaments while he ate a slice of pizza filled with toppings.
Two days before Christmas I got a call from Bill asking me to stop by-- I had planned to stop by anyway to wish him a Merry Christmas. The reason for the call was to thank Rob Masek and Observer for the recent Lakewoodites cartoon which featured him, and a real encounter with Rob and his wife Sylvia. Bill, as he always did, handed Sylvia a carnation. This was his special treatment for the ladies. As Deb would tell, he handed her the flower, telling her… “Take this flower, put it in water and when it grows roots, replant it in soil, then in your garden. Each year it will grow and send off more flowers, and you will always have flowers from Bill Hixson." Both Slyvia and my wife have one in a glass and I imagine hundreds of women in Lakewood do.
Eunice working the cash register.
During the course of the conversation he said that he was happy that he was putting weight back on, and wanted to know when we were going out for lunch as I had told him that the West End had good meatloaf. I assured him we would go for meatloaf after Christmas, Thursday or Friday, or next week. Thursday evening I received a call from Dave Slife: “Bill Hixson passed away a couple hours ago, at home, peacefully.” I still start crying thinking about it.
Bill Hixson led a full life, he was a good man-- no great man-- who always worked to make others happier. He had an unbelievable work ethic and always kept friends close. His employees were like family because that is how he treasured his very full life.
Bill, you were loved by so many, and you are already missed. In a world of constant change, there will never be another Bill Hixson.
To Mathias Burke and family, and friends, a big hug, and a toast to one of the best people I have had the pleasure of knowing.
My last photo of Bill. During a pizza lunch showing me one of the latest ornaments.
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