Elmer Denzel Irwin, affectionately known as “Santa,” passed away peacefully at his home on September 13, 2025, at age 75. A lifelong Nashvillian and beloved local icon, Santa leaves behind his partner, Angelina Stillings, their children, grandchildren, and a community that stretches far beyond family ties.
Together, Denzel and Angelina turned a humble double-wide trailer into Santa’s Pub, the
world-famous karaoke bar where everyone is a star. From locals to celebrities like Ed Sheeran and Kid Rock, all who walked through its doors experienced the same legendary welcome. Those who knew Santa joked he had nine lives. Before Santa’s Pub, Denzel’s first eight lives were a storybook adventure: U.S. Army veteran, ambulance driver, downtown bar owner (once famously surviving a gunshot wound to the shoulder), commercial painter, preacher, and solar energy entrepreneur. Through it all, his guiding principles were simple: don’t sell out, know your values, and believe in karma.
Santa’s greatest adventure, however, was his love for Angelina. First engaged in 1969, they
reunited decades later, building a life (and a bar) that turned strangers into friends and friends into family.
A representative of Santa’s family said, “The family will continue to operate Santa’s Pub in Santa’s honor. To close its doors would be a disservice to the community that he and Angelina built together. 2225 Bransford Avenue will remain a place where strangers become friends and everybody is treated like somebody. The glow of Christmas lights, the sound of karaoke, and the spirit of kindness that defined Santa will live on through the bar he loved.”
The family will accept visitors on Thursday, September 18, from 4-8 p.m. at Williamson
Memorial, 3009 Columbia Ave, Franklin, TN 37064. A graveside service will be held on Friday, September 19, at 11 a.m. at Nolensville Cemetery, 9636 Clovercroft Rd, Nolensville, TN 37135.
A celebration of life for friends and fans of Santa’s Pub will be announced at a later date and held at Santa’s Pub, the bar synonymous with his legacy. In lieu of flowers, the family asks that you donate to Wounded Warrior Project or Shop with a Cop in Santa’s honor.
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