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Rose Phifer, 81, of the Phifer Christmas House at 9606 Asbury Court, died at home Wednesday morning.

Ms. Phifer was known by many in the Richmond area as the matriarch of holiday lights in Richmond.

Her house has been decorated for the holidays for more than 40 years and draws thousands of visitors every year.

Her son, Bobby Phifer, has decorated her home ever since he was a kid. He has been decorating his house next door to hers at 9604 Asbury Court for the past 11 years.

Together, their two homes have close to a million lights during the holidays, plus a “doll room” filled with hundreds of holiday dolls.

The Phifer homes were featured on the TLC program called “Crazy Christmas Lights.”

Ms. Phifer was a familiar fixture outside of her home during the holidays. Most nights in December, she could be found sitting in a chair in her driveway, wrapped in blankets while watching the lights and the people who came out to see them.

“She had the biggest heart of anybody you’ve ever seen,” Bobby Phifer said. “She loved sitting outside and talking to people. To be out there (with the lights) and to see hundreds of people being happy, that made her happy, to give joy to people.”