THIS IS OGDEN SKELETON MAN
Meet Ron Pippin aka Ogden Skeleton Man who brings Halloween cheer with a changing skeleton scene every day in October.
NEWS / PEOPLE
Ron Pippin, also known as Ogden Skeleton Man (@ogdenskeletonman) at his home in Ogden’s east bench neighborhood on October 18, 2023. The Ogdenite
Since 2020, a changing skeleton display outside a home in Ogden’s east bench neighborhood has been spreading more joy than fright. This year it has grown in popularity, attracting daily visitors and media coverage. I talked to Ron Pippin, the creator behind the humerus skeleton scenes in Ogden, about his origin story as Ogden Skeleton Man.
Skeleton scenes by Ogden Skeleton Man, Ron Pippin, in October 2023. Images by The Ogdenite
Like a Halloween Elf, Ron Pippin gets up around 5 a.m. every morning in October to set up a new skeleton scene in front of his home at 26th Street and Fillmore Avenue in Ogden. The process takes one to four hours, not including the nightly take-down. It was a project born during the COVID-19 outbreak.
Pippin, who has always liked Halloween, noticed that people were down and depressed. Being bored at home during the pandemic, he thought, “I can at least brighten up October.”
He purchased the skeletons and on October 1, 2020 set up the first scene. It wasn’t morbid, but fun. The skeletons are doing normal things people do: playing games like horseshoe and tug-of-war, fixing a truck, dancing, riding tractors, or dressing up as pioneers or Wizard of Oz characters…and no scenes are repeated two years in a row. Pippin says the majority of this year’s scenes are brand new. For the first time, he has a theme planned building up to Halloween.
Now you can find daily posts on Pippin’s Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok pages (@ogdenskeletonman) but the first year began quietly without fanfare. He’s had three rules from the beginning: 1) No signs “If I have to explain I’m doing it wrong” 2) No Covid themes or jokes 3) No politics.
He says he broke two of those rules this year. On ‘Selfie Day’ there was a sign instructing people to sit carefully to take a selfie with the skellies. And another scene broke both the signs and the politics rules: the skellies holding Ogden mayoral and city council candidate signs—but it was inclusive, with equal representation for all.
The scenes rarely go according to plan, and often end up taking longer as creativity flows. He’ll often run into unexpected problems or add a last-minute comedic element.
The neighbors are supportive and enjoy the yearly display. To avoid neighborhood disturbance, Pippin takes the skeletons down at night and doesn’t use lights. There will be some lights closer to Halloween, he says, but not too late.
The neighbors are part of what drew Pippin and his wife to purchase their home eight years ago. The neighborly waves, stunning mountain views, and nearby hiking trails, skiing and reservoirs attracted them to the east bench, as well as the home itself with its idyllic porch. “The first thing we did was buy a porch swing,” he says. California-born and residing in the Ogden area since his youth, Pippin is a podcaster, musician, and the owner of a mortgage company for 28 years and downtown workspace.
For the past four years, Pippin, who does it alone, has never skipped a day even if it means missing travel opportunities. He stayed behind when his wife went to Alaska this year. “Why can’t you go? ‘Got skeletons,’” he says with a smile. “At first she thought I was nuts, but she sees the notes and the difference it makes for people.”
The neighbors have offered to help and Pippin is considering taking them up on it. “It’s more commitment than people realize,” he says. “I do not suggest this.”
It gets costly to repair skeletons and many of them will need to be replaced soon.
But the thank you notes and positive messages he receives go a long way. Is it worth it? I ask. “I think so. My whole motivation was just to put smiles on faces.”
Author’s Note: As a Halloween house enthusiast, I came across Pippin’s skeleton display on October 8 driving home from a hike and immediately got out of my car to take a picture. A friendly neighbor walking by said, “He changes it every day!” I posted it to The Ogdenite social media pages that night. The response from readers was so positive, I decided to go back every day for a photo and post it. The Ogden Skeleton Man series is our most popular to date, with one post—the truck one—getting over 50,000 ‘likes’ on Facebook alone. It is clear that we need more reasons to smile these days. Thank you, Ron Pippin, for lifting spirits during a season that can be a dark one for many.
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