Our History

Ricker Funeral Home has been a family owned funeral home since the early 1900's, with the Ricker name being associated with the firm since 1952. In 1943, Paul N. Ricker joined Dennis Rouhan and Herbert Swan at Rouhan and Swan Funeral Home.

In 1952 the firm became known as Swan and Ricker and was located in the former Odd Fellows Block on Pleasant Street. (The municipal parking lot, located behind the Bank of NH, is where the firm was originally housed.) A fire on January 13, 1953 destroyed the funeral home and furniture company, also run by Swan and Ricker. They temporarily relocated to Haverhill before settling at 26 Elm Street in Woodsville. In the 1960's, two funeral homes owned by Carroll Ricker in Groton and West Barnet were incorporated into Swan and Ricker. (The funeral home and apartment house in Groton was sold, and in the 1980's, when James House was the owner, the West Barnet funeral home was donated to the local Grange.) Mr. Ricker acquired sole ownership of the firm in 1963 and we have been known as Ricker Funeral Home since.

In 1972 construction of the current building was started and was opened in February 1973, at its location at 1 Birch Street. James M. House joined the firm in 1970 and purchased the business with his wife, Paula (Ricker) House, Mr. Ricker's daughter, when he retired in 1986. Mr. House hired Bryan S. Gould, a Woodsville native, who had been associated with and periodically employed with the firm since 1978. Upon Mr. House's retirement on January 1, 2006, ownership was then assumed by Mr. Gould and his wife Melissa.

Adam W. Smith, originally from Groton, VT joined us in June 2020 and assumed ownership in 2021.

We are fortunate to continue as a locally owned, family operated business.

Ownership of Past and Present

In Memoriam

James M. House, 82, of Woodsville, a dedicated community member and devoted husband, father, and grandfather passed away peacefully on December 28, 2025, at the Jack Byrne Center at Dartmouth. Born on August 9, 1943, in Hanover, NH, he was the son of Dr. Reginald K. House and Florence (Hartshorn) House.

James grew up in Hanover, graduating from Hanover High School in the class of 1961. During his youth, he was a standout athlete, serving as the captain of the ski team and becoming a Junior A Alpine skier during his junior year. He also excelled in competitive golf during high school; both skiing and golf remained passions he enjoyed throughout his life.

Following high school, James pursued a career in service, graduating from the Cincinnati School of Mortuary Science. He worked for Fenton & Hennessey Funeral Home in Bellows Falls, VT, for three years before moving to Woodsville in 1970 to begin a long and respected career at the Ricker Funeral Home. In this role, his dedication to the families of the northern Upper Valley region spanned decades. Notably, James was part of recovery efforts on Moose Mountain following a tragic airplane crash in October 1968, demonstrating his commitment to his profession and his community during difficult times.

James’ greatest devotion was to his family. He is survived by his beloved wife of over 50 years, Paula (Ricker) House; his son, Christopher House, and his wife Samantha; his two cherished granddaughters, Lilly and Lucy; his daughter, Kimberly House; a sister, Jane Mikell, and her children, Morgan, Justin (Thao), and Taylor.

Woodsville, NH- Bryan Scott Gould, 58, died on Friday, March 13, 2020.

Bryan was born in Haverhill, NH on April 25, 1961 to Llewellyn L. “Buster” and Dorothy L. (Leonard) Gould. He was a graduate with the Class of 1979 of Woodsville High School. Following high school, he received his Associates Degree from New England Institute in Boston. On November 9, 1985, he married Melissa A. Trimble.

Bryan began working at Ricker Funeral Home at age 16. Following Mortuary School in 1983, he worked for three years at Ricker Funeral Home in Lebanon, returning to work in Woodsville in 1986. Along with his wife, Melissa, they purchased the funeral home in January 2006.

He enjoyed being in the woods, listening to Irish music, particularly the High Kings, and walking their dogs, Abbie, Buckshot, and Ozzy. Over the years, he loved following Woodsville High School athletics, especially during the seasons when his sons were participating.



He is survived by his wife of 34 years, Melissa A. Gould of Woodsville; their sons, Scott T. Gould of Martinsburg, WV and Kyle B. Gould of Towson, MD; a sister and a brother; along with several nieces, nephews, and cousins.

Groton, VT Paul Nelson Ricker, 87, a former longtime Woodsville, NH, resident and most recently of Naples, FL, died on Saturday, June 9, 2012, at his camp on Lake Groton. Paul was born in Haverhill, NH, May 4, 1925, the son of Nelson Crown Ricker and Dorothy A. (Miller) Ricker. He was raised in Woodsville and graduated from Woodsville High School, Class of 1943. He served an apprenticeship with the former Rouhan & Swan Funeral Home in Woodsville and later graduated from the American Academy of Mortuary Science in White Plains, NY in 1946. Returning to Woodsville, Paul worked with Mr. Rouhan and became a partner in 1953. He acquired sole ownership in 1963, changing the name to Ricker Funeral Home, and later acquired ownership of funeral homes in the nearby communities of Groton and West Barnet, VT from his cousin, Carroll Ricker. In his early business career he also owned the Woodsville Furniture Store, as well as operating the local ambulance service until 1973. He retired from the funeral business in July 1986. Paul served in many civic capacities: as a Commissioner of the Haverhill Cemetery Association, Commissioner of the Woodsville Water & Light, President of the Cohase Lions Club, and Past President and Trustee of Cottage Hospital. Along with being a member of the Woodsville United Methodist Church, he served on the Administrative Council, was a director of the former National Bank of Newbury in Wells River, VT, and was a former President of the New Hampshire Funeral Directors Association, and former member of the New Hampshire State Board of Funeral Service. Paul's true passion came with the Masonic Order. He was a member and Past Master of Grafton-Kane Lodge #46 of North Haverhill, where he joined on January 8, 1947, and held a dual membership in Pulaski Lodge # 58 in Wells River, VT. He was a Past Presiding Officer of all Scottish Rite Bodies in the Valley of Littleton and Lancaster. He served as the Potentate of Bektash Shrine Temple AAONMS of Concord in 1977. He served on the Board of Trustees of the Shriners Hospital for Crippled Children in Springfield, MA and was a former Worthy Patron of Iona-Lafayette Chapter # 39, Order of the Eastern Star. Later he served as the Most Worshipful Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of New Hampshire in 1986 and 1987. On September 27, 1961 he was created a Sovereign Grand Inspector 33 degree member of the Supreme Council for the Northern Masonic Jurisdiction. Paul was the recipient of two distinguished Masonic service medals from the New Hampshire Grand Lodge, the Major General John Sullivan Medal and the Jeremy L. Cross Medal. He married the former Patricia Page on June 27, 1948 in St. Johnsbury, VT. He was predeceased by his brother, Philip J. Ricker and by a brother-in-law, Gordon Smith Page, Jr. Survivors include his wife of 62 years Patty Page Ricker of Groton, VT and Naples, FL; a son Philip P. Ricker of Naples, FL; a daughter Paula R. House and husband of Woodsville; two grandchildren, Christopher House and wife Samantha, and Kimberly House; a brother-in-law, Charles Elkins Page; several nephews, one niece, and several cousins.

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