Decorating in remembrance of a daughter

Wendy Alexander/The Madera Tribune

A witch decoration greets visitors at the Spraggins house. For the past 15 years, Coleen Spraggins has been decorating her house in memory of her daughter Kiley, who passed away 18 years ago.

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For the past 15 years, Coleen Spraggins has been decorating her house at 26458 Fonda Ave. for Halloween. The decorations have grown from year to year, and now include help from her daughter Skyla and son Jonathan.

Spraggins said the outlandish Halloween decorations, complete with two gigantic black widow spiders in the front yard, numerous spiders and webs through the front hallway and other scary characters, began in remembrance of her daughter Kiley, who passed away 18 years ago. Her daughter’s birthday falls in October, and Halloween was her favorite holiday.

“Most of the stuff is handmade,” Spraggins said. “I try to find stuff to refurbish and use.”

She estimates about 200 children made their way to her haunted yard last year and hopes for even more this year. She said she gets a thrill when she sees so many kids come to her house to see her decorations.