Hadley, Peter H. Gulliver, 37, was born in Northampton, MA June 13, 1979. As the sun was rising to a beautiful, clear sky on Sunday, June 11th, with his mother Regina Elizabeth Gulliver (nee Hart), and sisters, Sarah, Elizabeth, and Abigail alongside him, Peter Hart Gulliver passed very peacefully into death. Peter had sustained a traumatic brain injury in October 1997, and in the subsequent 20 years, fought against overwhelming odds, time and again, during acute hospitalizations from Cape Cod to Charlottesville, VA. to stay with his family and friends. Peter wanted to leave on his terms and his family could not be more appreciative that he died as peacefully as he did. He wanted it to be that way.  

Peter leaves his parents, Regina (Hart) Gulliver of Amherst, Joseph Gulliver of West Virginia, and three older sisters, Sarah, Elizabeth, and Abigail; his aunt and uncle, Geraldine and Bernard Smyth of South Hadley, aunt Joan (Doyle) Hart of Amherst, as well as 16 first cousins, and many, many second, third, and “kissing,” cousins.  

At the time of Peter’s accident in 1997, he was a senior at Amherst Regional High School, played ice hockey for an elite program based in Springfield, MA, and looked forward to choosing his next school. An avid lifelong fan of the Patriots, Red Sox, Bruins, and Celtics, he had more time to attend games in the years following his accident than he had previously. 

As a young man, Peter enjoyed family trips to visit his grandparents and cousins in Ontario, Canada; monthly trips to Brookline and Watertown to visit his Godparents, Margaret Callahan (deceased, formerly of Hadley) and Thomas Holmes (Westwood); annual summer trips with The Powell family to visit The Karle family on Cape Cod and going as far as West Point (with said group) for Boston College football games. Closer to home, Peter often visited his aunts, uncles, and cousins in Monson, South Hadley, and Amherst. 

To say that Peter was a funny, kind, and thoughtful, person would not adequately convey the fineness of his character. He was quick with a quip and demonstrated a sharpness of mind that only the wittiest among us could hope to rival. He had that rare talent for observing the humor in the details of a situation that the rest of us may overlook. And as imposing as Peter could be on the ice, or against a bully threatening to harm someone they perceived to be weaker — either physically or socially, he could be equally gentle with the younger cousins who looked up to him or that fellow student who didn’t enjoy the same social success as Peter. Others, young and old, gravitated to Peter because of his abiding humor, his level of comfort with himself, and his belief that we are all equal and worthy of merit, consideration, and respect, without regard for rank.  

Calling hours will be held on Monday, June 19 from 4 p.m.-7p.m. at Douglass Funeral Service in Amherst. A Mass of Christian Burial will be held on Tuesday, June 20 at 10:30 at St. Brigid’s Roman Catholic Church in Amherst. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to the Francis E. Hart Scholarship Fund, Bank of America 99 Founders Plaza CT 2-547-05-19 Attn: Jean Harrison East Hartford, CT 06108