BEND — The first thing you noticed when you saw Terry Rahmsdorff was he looked a lot like St. Nick.

The second was the twinkle in his eye, which was his calling card.

Rahmsdorff, a Bend public defender, was a mainstay of the annual Bend Christmas Parade for about 40 years, holding the last position as Santa Claus.

As an attorney, he believed that people should not be defined by their mistakes and deserved a second chance, said his wife, Terri Rahmsdorff.

Rahmsdorff died Oct. 27. He was 74.

“He wanted people to have a good life,” said his wife. “People would come up to him all the time and talk about how he helped them get back on track.” Deschutes County District Attorney Steve Gunnels worked with Rahmsdorff for 30 years and considered him a friend, despite their spirited courtroom discourse.

Rahmsdorff and Tom Crabtree were the county’s original public defenders, creating the office. They worked together for 38 years in Bend until Rahmsdorff’s retirement in 2019.

“He was always a good, honest lawyer, who looked out for his clients and their best interests,” said Gunnels. “He kept his sense of humor and demonstrated good-natured advocacy throughout the time I knew him. Even when we couldn’t agree about how a case should be resolved, our discussions would end with a smile and a discussion about how the baseball season is going.”

Every December, Rahmsdorff would don his other persona. His wife started the tradition when they moved to Bend in 1981. She sewed him a nice red suit to wear and the rest is holiday history.

“For decades, in his role as Santa Claus, Terry generously brought joy to the thousands of kids (of all ages) who lined the streets of the Bend Christmas Parade each year,” said Michael Sipe, Bend Christmas Parade chairman. “From his custom-made sleigh, Terry connected with the crowd with a twinkle in his eye and a Ho Ho Ho — Merry Christmas.

“His huge smile and friendly wave were hallmarks of the parade. Terry loved Bend and he loved the Christmas Parade. And we loved him. He will be missed.”

Christmas Eve often found Terri assembling the toys for the Rahmsdorff children, and her husband would be out visiting other children, spreading cheer.

“He loved doing it,” she said. “So many people have said their kids believed in Santa for years because of him.

“Christmas Eve was about giving and sharing the warmth of your spirit.”

Last year was Rahmsdorff’s last year as Santa in the annual parade. He had dropped a lot of weight, going from a size 56 waist to a 38-inch waist, said Terri Rahmsdorff. The couple had just returned from a trip abroad in August when her husband began to not feel well. He died from kidney failure, Terri Rahmsdorff said.

Crabtree said that Rahmsdorff was sincere in his desire to help people, particularly juveniles. Friends since their undergraduate college days, Crabtree said that often Rahmsdorff could get away with comments in court that could end in a contempt ruling for others.

One time he got held up in an attempted robbery, but had no cash on him. He offered to write the would-be thief a personal check instead. Rahmsdorff went to the police and officers were able to arrest the man trying to cash the check.

“He could get away with stuff in court that would have had me locked up,” Crabtree said. “He would do it with a smile. He had an insatiable need to help folks.”

He helped start Kids Inspired Do Succeed program, the Bend Recovery House and the Together for Children program in Bend.

Rahmsdorff volunteered as a board member for the High Desert Education Service District, a position he held for seven years. He also was a Bend-La Pine School Board member.

In their defense Terry Rahmsdorff uses the law to help Central Oregon kids

In their defense

Terry Rahmsdorff uses the law to help Central Oregon kids

“Terry cared about his clients and advocated for them,” said Crabtree. “His personality was rather large. He believed in the best in everyone.”

Sometimes, Crabtree said, that belief would cost him some money. There was a time when a pickup truck was parked in his marked parking stall at the public defender’s office all day. The office had the guy’s truck towed. When the owner of the truck came and confronted Rahmsdorff about the towing, he offered to cover the costs.

“He didn’t want the guy to hate him,” Crabtree said. “That happened from time to time.”

Rahmsdorff is survived by his wife, Terri Rahmsdorff, two daughters, Carol Rahmsdorff and Susan Rahmsdorff-Terry, a son-in-law, Luke Rahmsdorff-Terry, and a granddaughter, Essie Rahmsdorff-Terry.

Growing up in Bend, Susan Rahmsdorff-Terry said she felt her father was larger than life. It seemed no matter where they went, everyone knew him.

“Somehow he managed to be everywhere, always advocating for those who couldn’t advocate for themselves,” Susan Rahmsdorff-Terry said.

“He encouraged those with the power to make change, to make it for the betterment of everyone.”

Carol Rahmsdorff said her dad always seemed willing to volunteer. He could be counted to chaperone school field trips, chip in a little extra for others. He started nonprofits so children could attend summer camp and take art lessons.

“He was a staunch supporter of the Bend Elks and loved watching good baseball,” Carol Rahmsdorff said.

A memorial service will be at 1:30 p.m. Dec. 5 at the First Presbyterian Church, 230 NE Ninth St., Bend.