Posted 6:08 am Friday, October 30, 2009
Bullard Family Goes All Out For Halloween
By KELLY GOOCH
Staff Writer
BULLARD -- The Zurn family Halloween display started with four or five tombstones, a mummy made out of paper mache and chicken wire and a few other decorations.
Staff Writer
BULLARD -- The Zurn family Halloween display started with four or five tombstones, a mummy made out of paper mache and chicken wire and a few other decorations.
Six years later, the Zurns are known to Bullard residents as "the family that has the graveyard every year."
Lenora Zurn said they began decorating their yard in 2003, when they lived off U.S. Highway 271.
Then, in 2005, the Zurns bought their house at 123 E. Main St. in Bullard and decided to continue the tradition.
Mrs. Zurn claims that this year's display is "the biggest it's ever been."
A fence, spray painted black, surrounds a graveyard full of tombstones, bone remains, several black roses and fake crows.
Mrs. Zurn said the family used to put names of friends on the tombstones, such as "Here lies ... He was laid to rest by his wife."
"They would get a kick out of seeing their names on there," Mrs. Zurn said.
The Zurns usually add a few tombstones each year, some made and some store-bought, and this year's graveyard featured Dracula's tombstone, along with tombstones that simply say "RIP."
Ken Zurn also designed coffins for the display, which were made with plastic foam and then painted.
Other decorations include an angel hanging over the porch, a talking Grim Reaper, an "asylum" sign, a motion-activated skeleton, a strobe light, and bride and groom skeletons hanging from the fence.
"We're always looking for neat things with lights in them that make sound. The creepier the better. We try not to do the basic Halloween stuff," Mrs. Zurn said.
After Halloween is over, she said they try to buy decorations on clearance for the next year.
Mrs. Zurn said they usually put the display up at the beginning of October, but rain delays forced them to wait until about a week and a half ago.
It typically takes one day to get decorations in place, and each year requires more time because they're always adding something, she said. Before they put out decorations, though, it takes about a week of preparation.
Zurn said Halloween is one of his favorite holidays, and he wanted to take time decorating his yard so children would have a scary house at which to trick-or-treat.
"People are afraid to take (children) in neighborhoods (today). I wanted to recreate how it was in my childhood, when we would want to go up to spooky houses," he said.
The Zurns say they also like to get feedback from people on what they like or don't like about the decorations.
In addition to the outside decorations, the family decorates the inside of their home when they throw a party on Halloween. The theme for this year's party is "haunted house."
Mrs. Zurn said walls will be covered to make it look like the house has wooden walls, and they bought furniture covers so couches appear to be crates.
Among the past party themes are "fairy tales," "murder mystery" and "haunted saloon," which featured a piano the Zurns made out of boxes.
It continuously played like it was a haunted piano," Mrs. Zurn said.
Next year, she said, they are thinking about doing an "Addams Family" theme where her 8-year-old daughter Tawnya could dress up as "Cousin Itt."
In the meantime, the Zurns say they want all passers-by to enjoy their work.
