Jerry Julian, who embraced a gentle Santa in Rochester, dies at 72

Jerry Julian, who embraced a gentle Santa in Rochester, dies at 72

ROCHESTER — Jerry Julian treated his role as Santa Claus with the same reverence and gentleness he treated the children who believed in him. Julian spent nearly two decades making public appearances as Santa in Rochester. Julian died last week at age 72 in Colorado Springs, Colorado, where he lived when he wasn’t helping out the North Pole. “There’s so much awe and wonderment with Santa, you don’t want to mess that up,” Julian said of the role i…