Regina Elizabeth Hart Gulliver, 79, of Amherst, died peacefully on May 3, 2020, as a result of complications from Vascular Dementia and Alzheimer’s Disease. She is survived by her devoted daughters, Sarah, Elizabeth, and Abigail, who take great comfort in knowing that her passing was swift and painless. Regina is also survived by her sister, Geraldine Smyth of South Hadley, and her sister in law, Joan Doyle (Edward) Hart of Amherst, along with many cousins, nieces, nephews, and friends who were as close as family. To many, she was a genuine favorite and as her closest friend suggested, knowing her and having her in your life made you feel lucky and that a relationship with her meant more than just about any other.
Regina is predeceased by her mother Margaret Kelley Hart and father Francis E. Hart of Amherst; sister Mary Murphy of Monson; brother Edward Hart of Amherst; twin brother Robert Hart, who died in infancy; and her son Peter Hart Gulliver of Amherst.
Raised in Amherst, Regina relished spending her childhood on the family dairy farm on Strong St. As a wonderful storyteller, she often shared memories of the exploits, adventures, and calamities that helped shape the woman she became, due in no small measure to the women who loved and helped prepare her for life. She also dearly held the spice, humor, sense of independence, integrity, and breadth of knowledge that her father imbued in her character. It was that sense of independence that later in life led her to travel cross country and into Canada to the Calgary Stampede, where she met her future husband, Joseph Gulliver. Still, that’s jumping ahead. She had lots of adventures before reaching that point in her life.

Following graduation from Elms College, she and a number of her friends moved to New York and then to the heart of Boston for several years to begin their teaching careers. However, while honing their teaching craft, the ladies from the Elms also learned how to throw legendary parties that are still reminisced about. Those years together bonded that group of women and their offspring for life. Similarly, the bonds of the Fort River family developed and continue to endure.
After her years in Boston, Regina returned to Amherst to start a family. She developed equally enjoyable, but more subdued pastimes than those of her younger years, like deciphering the New York Times Sunday crossword puzzles, playing softball with fellow teachers, rooting for Boston sports teams, painting furniture and parenting four growing children. As a mother, Regina ensured that her children were exposed to a wide range of experiences, places, the arts, professional sports, and day trips to just about anywhere. On one occasion, at the spur of the moment, we went on a three day trip to Maine in search of the best lobster rolls and then returned back through Hamilton, MA to watch polo at the Myopia Hunt Club. This is just one example of a lifetime of cherished memories for her children.
In the midst of all this, Regina also found time to earn a Master’s Degree from Lesley College. It was during these years that she also nurtured her creative gifts. Nowhere was her humor and artistry more evident than in the beautifully rendered bulletin boards that she would design and paint in her classrooms and hallways. The brightness, lightness, and warmth of her artwork encapsulated her personality so well. It endeared fellow teachers, parents, and students alike, making her a popular and beloved figure. She painted furniture for nurseries and children’s bedrooms, a beautiful piano bench with the Emily Dickinson Homestead painted on it, and exquisitely painted floor cloths in her spare time.
Alongside her creativity, Regina’s greatest gifts were a tremendous wit, a keen intellect, and an abiding sense of justice. Her wit was unparalleled and her laughter resonated deeply. She made life more fun and the fact that she laughed often and infectiously didn’t hurt either. A few well chosen jokes, frequently at her own expense, turned new acquaintances into friends in short order. While some measure love and affection in words, she was much more likely to demonstrate her feelings through deeds. Actions do matter more than words and she lived faithfully to that principle, as well as to the principles of her religion She could also see people for who they were and conducted herself accordingly. For these reasons and innumerable others, she was a favorite friend, teacher, and family member of many that came into her orbit.. Furthermore, in many circles of her life, Regina was the axis around which others congregated. Our anchor is gone, but her spirit continues to enlighten our lives, even as we know that not one person could never fill her shoes.
A tribute to Regina could not be written without discussing her incredible teaching abilities. She truly loved her students and creatively challenged each individual student, long before that method was advocated for and recognized as a successful model. She made each student feel like she was their biggest supporter and defender. She made them laugh, and therefore relax in her learning environment, as demonstrated by the reliably tremendous growth in their knowledge from the beginning of the school year to the end. Her students knew how much they mattered to her and gained confidence with her at the helm of their class. Yet, she did not just champion her students. Her integrity and strength of character and purpose in pursuing the best for her students also meant she voiced her encouragement and support for other teachers and their concerns.

Because of the current pandemic, a funeral Mass is not possible. The family will schedule a memorial service at a later date, but for now will hold a private graveside interment. Sarah, Elizabeth, and Abigail wish to thank Fr. John Smegal of St. Brigid’s parish and Ron Lashway at Douglass Funeral Home for their guidance during this surprising and difficult time.
Regina would have wanted any donations in her honor to be made to the Francis E. Hart Scholarship fund. The scholarship is awarded each year to one female and one male graduate of Amherst Regional High School. What our mother loved most about how her own father devised this scholarship is that it’s not about who has the best grades or who starred in the school play or on a sports field. It’s mostly about industriousness and how students have made the most of their given circumstances. Donations to the scholarship may be mailed to 300 Amherst St., Granby Ma 01033 ℅ Gulliver.