Sunset Hills opens parlor for goodies

'Tis the season to be spooked and what better place for it to happen than at a funeral home, including a skeleton hearse driver. For the last 12 years, the owners of Sunset Hills Funeral Home and Crematory in Plains have opened up their business to provide residents a chance to get out of the cold and have some treats. 

"It was a great night full of fun and interesting costumes and smiling faces. It was great to see so many families come in together and parents enjoying it as much as the kids," said Wayne Egbert, who owns the funeral parlor with his wife, Mary. This year, however, the couple hosted their Halloween get together on Friday because Halloween was on a Sunday and the Butcher's Nook, where they get the fresh donuts, is closed on Sundays, said Wayne. Numerous Plains businesses also greeted trick or treaters on Friday after school. 

Most of the participating businesses gave away candy from 3:30-5:30 p.m., though the Egberts stayed open an hour later. They gave away 20 dozen donuts - Wayne ate the last one -, along with a pot of candy, hot and cold cider, and hot chocolate. The couple started the Halloween event to give back to the community. The first year was a bit slow; they had only 144 donuts and their Halloween open house was just put out there by word of mouth, but Mary said it has grown every year. She estimated that more than 300 people showed up Friday, including a dog dressed as a unicorn. This is only the second time that Halloween had fallen on a Sunday since they bought the business, but it's the first time the Egberts decided to have the event on another night, rather than canceling it. 

"I look forward to this every year. It's very special," Plains resident Daniell Stere-Nelson told the couple. Others also thanked the Egberts for opening the funeral home for the community, which was decorated with spooks and the popular skeleton chauffeur. This year, Wayne put a second skeleton in the hearse passenger seat. "The kids love the skeleton. I see them get their picture taken with it," said Wayne, who donned his "Doctor Death" lab coat. Mary didn't put on a costume, but wore Halloween colors of black and orange, along with black cat earrings. Wayne said they usually have a casket with a skeleton in it in the parlor, but didn't get to it this year. The Egberts' son-in-law, John Savage, volunteered to lie in the casket next year as a zombie or a corpse, and pop up and scare kids as they pass by the casket.

Mary said she especially likes seeing the kids' costumes. She was surprised to see all the Harry Potter characters. Even some adults donned costumes, and there were two Grim Reapers, which seemed appropriate in visiting a funeral home, said Wayne. "I guess they'll feel right at home here," said Mary.