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Meet the Edmonds skeletons whose 'love story' brings neighbors together

The Soderlund family poses the skeletons, named Bonnie and Clyde, in different displays to celebrate holidays throughout the year. #k5evening

EDMONDS, Wash. — An Edmonds family keeps the Halloween spirit alive and well in their front yard, year-round.

Their resident decorative skeletons — named “Bonnie and Clyde” — pose in various themes to celebrate all holidays.

"Skeletons just want to be dead, they don't really want to pose,” laughed Dean Soderlund, who’s in charge of engineering the displays. His wife Tina conjures up the ideas.

"It doesn't look like much, but it takes a lot,” she said.

They know how to make just about any scene work, because they've had a lot of practice.

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It all started on Halloween of 2019, when Bonnie and Clyde were new to the family — and a bit underdressed.

“We just put them in the yard without clothes and just hats,” said Dean and Tina’s 12-year-old daughter Riley. "Didn't have standards back then, I suppose."

Her affection for the pair changed everything.

Credit: Kim Holcomb
Tina and Dean Soderlund were inspired to create year-round skeleton displays by their daughter, Riley.

"Our daughter was like, 'I don't want to put the skeletons away, I don't want to take the display down,’” Dean recalled.

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So, he and Tina started finding ways to celebrate every holiday with Bonnie and Clyde — beginning that Christmas.

Credit: Tina Soderlund
Bonnie and Clyde have dressed up as elves and characters from "Elf" on different Christmases.

“We had a Santa's Workshop and a tree and everything. It turned out really cool,” Tina said, laughing.

Winter melted into spring and the skeletons sunbathed, then celebrated St. Patrick's Day, Easter, and the Fourth of July. Tina created a Facebook page and as the story of Bonnie and Clyde expanded, so did their fan base.

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"People were like, ‘It got us out of the house, it got the kids again out of the house, and it actually put a smile on our face,’” Dean said. "That kind of fueled us at that point, to keep going."

Credit: Tina Soderlund
On Valentine's Day, the Soderlunds posed the skeletons to show Clyde popping the question.

The skeletons continued to live their best after-life through another year of holidays. Then, on February 14, 2022, a new display revealed Clyde had finally popped the question.

"On Valentine's, he proposed to (Bonnie,)” Tina said. “So, in June we had a wedding. And we had guests, about 40-plus people came."

There were wedding favors, a cake, and some guests brought their own skeletons. Tina and Dean didn’t know everyone who attended and made some new friends that day. They also renewed their own vow to keep the displays going.

Credit: Tina Soderlund
Approximately 40 friends and neighbors attended the skeletons' "wedding" in June of 2022.

"That sense of community, that's a real driver for us too, now,” Dean said.

Whatever the season, Bonnie and Clyde will likely be doing something in the yard. Because for the Soderlunds, designing every trick is an absolute treat.

"It's worth it, totally worth it,” Tina said.

Halloween is the best time of year to visit, and the Soderlunds welcome everyone. Their house is located at 7025 176th Pl. S.W. in Edmonds. You can also follow Bonnie and Clyde’s Adventures on Facebook.

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