NORMAL ( 25News Now ) - A man in Normal, famous for putting up an extravagant and playful Christmas display in front of his home, suddenly passed away last week, leaving neighbors and friends sorely missing him and his decorations.

Every year since the 1990s, Mike Holtz, a former plumber, has displayed around 1,300, waist-high figurines, showcasing them with thousands of lights, on the lawn of his home at 1210 W Hovey Ave. Holtz suddenly died on Nov. 21.

Close friend Jeffrey Bess said he was shocked to hear of his friend’s passing. He said he remembered Holtz as having a great sense of humor and a generous soul.

“If you didn’t laugh from Mike Holtz, you just never laughed in your life. He brought joy to a lot of people,” he said. “He’s really a nice guy. One of the nicest guys I’ve ev

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