Pulp Friction: Pop culture-inspired jack-o-lanterns sprout out of retiree’s hands
The 2023 jack-o-lanterns carved by Steven Lewis of Ellenboro are Br’er Bear, Br’er Fox and Br’er Rabbit. (Photo Provided)
Steven Lewis carves a pumpkin for a jack-o-lantern. The retired principal who is the mayor of Ellenboro has carved famous people since Ronald Reagan was in office. (Photo Provided)
Elmo, a Sesame Street muppet, as a jack-o-lantern by Steven Lewis. (Photo Provided)
Steven Lewis of Ellenboro has carved upward of 160 jack-o-lanterns, including The Blues Brothers and Laurel and Hardy. (Photo Provided)
Members of KISS are among the famous people Steven Lewis of Ellenboro has carved into the face of a jack-o-lantern. Lewis, a retired elementary school principal who is the mayor of Ellenboro, said he can’t remember who he hasn’t carved. (Photo Provided)
The 2023 jack-o-lanterns carved by Steven Lewis of Ellenboro are Br’er Bear, Br’er Fox and Br’er Rabbit. (Photo Provided)
Steven Lewis carves a pumpkin for a jack-o-lantern. The retired principal who is the mayor of Ellenboro has carved famous people since Ronald Reagan was in office. (Photo Provided)
Elmo, a Sesame Street muppet, as a jack-o-lantern by Steven Lewis. (Photo Provided)
Steven Lewis of Ellenboro has carved upward of 160 jack-o-lanterns, including The Blues Brothers and Laurel and Hardy. (Photo Provided)
Members of KISS are among the famous people Steven Lewis of Ellenboro has carved into the face of a jack-o-lantern. Lewis, a retired elementary school principal who is the mayor of Ellenboro, said he can’t remember who he hasn’t carved. (Photo Provided)
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PARKERSBURG -- An Ellenboro pumpkin carver has released his 2023 edition of Halloween jack-o-lanterns.
Steven Lewis has been carving famous people on Jack-o-Lanterns since Ronald Reagan was president, and Reagan took office in 1981.
"I've done it every year since then," he said.
Lewis retired six years ago as the principal at Ellenboro Elementary School and has been mayor of Ellenboro since 1989. He sells insurance from his home where Wood County is among the counties in his jurisdiction.
Today is Halloween. Trick or treat will be held in many communities in the region and from 5:30-7 p.m. in Ellenboro.
This year's jack-o-lantern lineup are Br'er Rabbit, Br'er Fox and Br'er Bear. The characters are from old African American stories told to kids and were included in the Walt Disney classic movie "Song of the South."
"I've been thinking about carving Br'er Rabbit for the past three years," Lewis said.
The carvings of Br'er Rabbit, Br'er Fox and Br'erBear each took about an hour, he said.
Among his creations over the years were The Beatles, The Blues Brothers, Laurel and Hardy, KISS, all the presidents since Reagan, Abraham Lincoln, and popular cartoon and children's TV characters like Elmo.
"Who haven't I done?" he said. "I don't remember."
Lewis's estimation of the number of famous people and other things he has carved on pumpkins to be from 150 to 160.
"The kids just love them," he said.
Of all the presidents he has carved since Reagan, Lewis said he liked Reagan the most. Reagan died in 2004.
"I'd say Reagan was my favorite because I admired him so much," Lewis said.
Besides selling insurance, Lewis also is a sports columnist and writer for the Pennsboro News. He writes about senior citizens, too.
"It's something to keep me busy," Lewis said.
Jess Mancini can be reached at jmancini@newsandsentinel.com.