Bethel Park home continues Halloween tradition for charity
Photos: Jon Andreassi/Observer-Reporter
Jeff Counihan stands at the entrance to the Halloween display in his front yard.
Photos: Jon Andreassi/Observer-Reporter
Jeff Counihan stands next to a hearse, one of several decorations that he built himself.
Jon Andreassi/Observer-Reporter
As his yard runs out of space, Jeff Counihan has been adding decorations to the roof, such as this crashed UFO.
Jon Andreassi/Observer-Reporter
A sign in front of the Counihan home asks for donations for Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s research.
Jon Andreassi/Observer-Reporter
Walking the sidewalk to Jeff Counihan’s front door will take you through the “Restless Souls Cemetery.”
Jon Andreassi/Observer-Reporter
A large, homemade “pumpkin monster” towers over the cemetery, including a tombstone for Dracula himself, Bela Lugosi.
Jon Andreassi/Observer-Reporter
Jeff Counihan built this “coffin car” out of a real coffin.
Jon Andreassi/Observer-Reporter
The Counihan family welcomes visitors at the entrance to their Halloween display.
For 35 years, Jeff Counihan has turned his Bethel Park home into a “spooktacular” display for Halloween, and is now using it to raise money for charity.
It would be difficult to miss Counihan’s house while traveling on Wilson Drive. Some may even think it’s on the market, until they realize the sign in the yard says “Cemetery 21,” not “Century 21.”
“My dad always liked Halloween. He liked the old black and white movies with Boris Karloff and Bela Lugosi,” Counihan said.
Counihan has carried on that tradition. You’ll walk through a cemetery to get to his front door, complete with a band of skeletons performing under the name “Ded Zeppelin.”
One of the headstones carries the name “Lugosi,” while a large crypt is emblazoned with “Karloff,” a tribute to the horror movie icons Counihan grew up watching.
Counihan hopes before people take in all the decorations, they notice the drop box for donations. He is raising money for the Michael J. Fox Foundation, which funds Parkinson’s disease research, and the Alzheimer’s Foundation of America. Counihan said he has relatives that have suffered from both conditions.
He added that they started collecting donations two years ago. Last year, Counihan raised about $400.
“This year looks like we’re on a better pace,” Counihan said. “So far I think it was like $150 … Probably most of it comes in on Halloween.”
Many of the decorations are pieces that Counihan has collected throughout the years. However, he does like to handcraft decorations when he has the chance, such as a skeleton-horse drawn hearse and a car made out of a real coffin.
Sometimes Counihan will see a decoration for sale and decide he can make it better, perhaps for less money.
As Counihan has added decorations through the years, he has had to get more creative with how he uses the space, even on the roof. Those with a keen eye might notice the skeleton of an alien hanging from a crashed UFO.
People often stop to admire the display.
“The school buses love to stop and look. I actually had one last year – it was KinderCare – and they would stop every day. Then on Halloween the kids got dressed up and they came and walked through,” Counihan said.
Counihan will be accepting donations through Halloween.