Madison, Wisconsin -
Dead Pals of Sam Sanfillippo

Dead Pals of Sam Sanfillippo

Sam Sanfillippo's perky dead animal dioramas -- albino squirrels playing basketball, etc. -- are an unusual sight in the basement of a funeral parlor. Roadsideamerica.com Report...

White Squirrel Heaven

The inside scoop on some of Sam Sanfillippo's perky dead animal dioramas in the funeral parlor. He has more albino squirrels than anyone we know. Roadsideamerica.com Report...

Dead Pals of Sam Sanfillippo

Roadside attractions, like living things, have life spans. It appears that Sam Sanfillippo's dead animal displays have reached the end of theirs.

Cress Funeral Home managing director Andrew Johnson has confirmed that Sam's lighthearted menagerie of dead, beer-drinking squirrels and topless chipmunks is no longer on public view. Andrew was apologetic, but said that the attraction simply became too popular for its own good.

"Too many visitors were arriving in the middle of a [funeral] service, eager to have a good time," he said (We always advised fans to call ahead and schedule visits for non-funeral hours). If there's any consolation, it's that Sam's creations haven't really gone away, they're just sleeping in the Cress Funeral Home basement, and await resurrection at some point in the future, we hope. [RoadsideAmerica.com team, 04/01/2011]

Funeral Home Animal Dioramas

Recent photos taken at the funeral home with the basement animal dioramas. [Caroline, 01/19/2008]

[RA: Deb Nies reports on the Dead Pals of Sam Sanfillippo: "I just wanted to let you know that Sam is still alive and well at the age of 86. The museum is still available. My daughter and I went there yesterday, after we called for an appointment. Sam was not there to give a tour, however."]