Friday Night Frights: Home Sweet Funeral Home

By Randy Trevino | Local Happenings

The history of our great city of Portsmouth is a rich filled one. Each home and each building has a history of its very own. Over the years homes and businesses have been repurposed into numerous different things.

What would you do if you found out your dream house was formally a funeral parlor? That's exactly what this couple says happened to their family.

Mark and Julie wouldn't disclose the location of the Portsmouth home that they no longer reside in. They say shortly after moving into their dream home, they were soon living a nightmare.

The couple moved to the area in the late 90s and fell in love with a newly remodeled home built just before the turn of the century.

Julie said she remembers the first day and the excitement that came along with moving.

"All the kids were running everywhere, trying to pick bedrooms. Our oldest boy was fascinated by the tall ceilings. The two younger boys couldn't believe that the house had two staircases. That day was so much fun!"

As the rest of the family settled into their home, Mark says he never really felt like they were alone.

"I don't know...It's hard to explain that feeling when you're in your own house but you feel like someone is watching."

The first unsettling incident occurred in the master bedroom. The couple had just turned in for the night.

The next morning they saw that the bed had moved itself to the middle of the room.

Confused, Julie woke first and demanded to know why her husband would do such a thing. Mark denied moving the bed and was baffled.

Soon after the children often heard what sounded like large carts being rolled upstairs. A bell could sometimes be heard urgently ringing, but never located.

Towels would often be found wet and piled in the bathtub upon the family returning from a night out.

Julie reported hearing the frequent crying of a woman from the upstairs bathroom.

Mark explained to me the incident that had totally convinced him of the haunting.

"I was pulling in from work and I noticed an older gentleman standing in the window. He was holding a red or brown book, and he looked right at me. I had no clue who it could be but when I came in my wife had no idea what I was talking about."

Two of the boys often reported being woken up to the sounds of singing.

The oldest said that it reminded him of the choir on Sunday, but that he never could discern what song it was.

The family reported that doors began slamming throughout the night. As a prevention, they would make sure to shut all the doors at night. This seemed to worsen the problem.

Julie had had enough. "The boys started sleeping in the same room. I knew they were scared. They tried not to show it but it hurt to see them scared. That's when I knew we had to move."

The family moved from the house before selling. Neither Mark or Julie wished to elaborate on what came of the house, but they say it wasn't until years later they found out that it had been used as a funeral parlor in the past.

Mark said at least for him, it answered a lot of questions.

Would you stay the night in a funeral home.

Do you live in one?

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