History & Staff

We have years of experience caring for families, from all walks of life. Each family comes to us because they know we are leaders in our profession, dedicated to excellence in service, and have the highest integrity.

Our History

The Harold R. Ascher Funeral Home was opened in 1954 by Harold and Jeanette Ascher to serve the needs of the Jewish community of the Pioneer Valley. In 1972, the name was changed to the Harold R. Ascher & Son Memorial Chapel to commemorate Harold and Jeanette‘s eldest son, Robert, joining the family business. When Harold retired in 1990, Robert Zimmerman, a funeral director from Wisconsin, was invited to join the Ascher funeral home to help with the family business. Ten years later, in 2000, Ryan Ascher, the son of Robert Ascher, became the third generation of the Ascher family to care for the greater Springfield community. Upon Robert Ascher’s retirement in April of 2006, Robert Zimmerman and Ryan Ascher purchased the business and changed the name to the Ascher-Zimmerman Funeral Home.

Our Valued Staff

  • Ryan Ascher

    Ryan Ascher, Managing Funeral Director

    Ryan Ascher, in addition to being the third generation of his family to become funeral directors, is a lifelong member of the Jewish community here in the Springfield area. Born in Longmeadow, he graduated from Longmeadow H.S. in 1994. After graduating from UMass Amherst, in 2000 he joined his father and started working at the funeral home. Ryan graduated from Briarwood College in 2002 with a degree in mortuary science. He now lives in Ludlow with his wife Shannon, son Colin, their two dogs Pandora and Penny, and their flock of beloved chickens. In his spare time, Ryan sells Lego online and enjoys being out in nature.

  • Emma Murphy

    Emma Murphy, Funeral Director

    Emma Murphy, a Worcester native who moved to the Springfield area as well as joined the funeral industry in 2020, is a licensed funeral director who graduated from North Shore Community College in 2024 with a degree in mortuary sciences. Emma has been with the funeral home in some capacity since 2021 and started full-time back in October 2023. It has been her sincere honor to serve a community that is committed to supporting and uplifting each other throughout many decades. Emma has a wide range of topics she is passionate about, one being a more sustainable future for the funeral industry. When not assisting families, you can find her out hiking or researching new alternative methods of disposition, such as water cremation and natural organic reduction. Emma lives in Springfield with her partner Brady, their beloved cat and their small menagerie of reptiles and many, many plants.

  • Jon Paul Bibeau

    Jon Paul Bibeau, Funeral Assistant

    Jon-Paul Bibeau “JP” is a lifelong resident of Western Mass, who before retiring served for 20 years at the Connecticut Corrections Department. In 2021, JP joined the team at Ascher Zimmerman to help on services. Since then, he has proved to be a wonderful friend and essential member of the team who has gone on to become a licensed funeral assistant to further help us serve our community.

  • Robert Zimmerman

    Robert Zimmerman, Funeral Director Emeritus

    Robert Zimmerman, in addition to being a managing co-owner and funeral director, was a pillar in the local Jewish community here in Springfield, despite hailing from Wisconsin. He moved to Longmeadow after a few years as a director in his home state, where he settled down. He was a funeral director for 38 years before he and his wife Sue moved to Wisconsin to be with their extended family in 2024. They now enjoy traveling and spending time with their French bulldog Lily.