Decatur's 'Christmas Lights Guy' Dies Suddenly

DECATUR, GA — Neighbors in Decatur were mourning on Thursday as news spread that Tony Paradowski, the man behind one of metro Atlanta's most popular holiday-light displays, had died.

Paradowski, 60, died on Friday, according to A.S. Turner & Sons Funeral Home. A memorial service is scheduled for Saturday in Decatur.

Paradowski and his wife, Katie, began "Christmas in the Grove" in 2010. The elaborate Christmas light show, on Oak Grove Drive in Decatur, grew to include more than 115,000 lights and drew visitors from across metro Atlanta every year.

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In 2013, the couple won "Great Light Fight," a reality contest show on ABC.

The Paradowskis began collecting donations from visitors to their display and, as of last year, they had raised $2,800 for The ALS Association of Georgia, which combats ALS, or Lou Gehrig's Disease. The family now is asking for donations to the association in Paradowski's memory.

The funeral home did not list a cause of death for Paradowski and no cause has been publicly revealed.

Neighbors are planning an appropriate tribute to the man whose displays ran from Thanksgiving night to New Year's Day. "Light Up Leafmore," set for Saturday and Sunday, will see residents of the neighborhood where Paradowski lived lighting up their own homes in his honor, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported.

Visitation for Paradowski will be noon-1 p.m. Saturday at A. S. Turner & Sons Funeral Home & Crematory, at 2773 North Decatur Rd. in Decatur. Funeral services will be held at 1 p.m. at the funeral home's chapel.

Lead photo courtesy Christmas in the Grove. Tony Paradowski photo courtesy A.S. Turner & Sons.