Harold E. "Tyke" Niver

In his own words: Harold Ellsworth Niver (he never liked the name Ellsworth plus, those are bad initials H.E.N. You never want to put that monogram on a shirt!) But, I digress. Harold is no longer with us. He is long gone. That "Sweet Chariot" in the sky came for him. He is Kaput! He traded in his Steinway piano for a harp got a good deal too! He will no longer have to worry about root canals and kidney stones.
In High School he ran on the Track Team. He never won a match but was usually the first one to come in last.
His first marriage to Janice Bardusch lasted 11 years and produced 2 sons Christoper Geoffrey Niver and Jonathan Taylor Niver (no Ellsworths).
He was in the retail piano business for 50 years. He obtained the nickname "Tyke" because his mother said he was a "cute little Tyke". The name stuck.
He loved animals and birds. Owned quite a few of both. Amongst the birds were canaries, English Nightingales and Sun Conures. The dogs included English bulldogs, pugs and dachshunds.
He partook of an occasional alcoholic beverage. His favorite being a Bombay Martini. But, he made a rule never to have anything stronger than a Martini before breakfast. Regarding sports. He was a fencer. Both he and his wife, Teddie, fenced. The neighbors used to enjoy seeing them suit up, go to the garage, and fence (really poke each other) with the fencing swords. For 11 years he engaged in a target shooting sport called SASS (Single Action Shooting Society). In that sport you dress up like you're in the old, old West and shoot the correct period firearms. He loved the dressing up part. In 11 years, he never wore the same outfit twice! He didn't shoot that well, but he sure looked good missing. He was fond of saying, "Don't squat with your spurs on".
He was also a big fan of Sherlock Holmes. In fact, his house has a name plaque on the front door that says "Baskerville Hall". Also, the license on one of his jeeps says SHRLOK.
He was married to Theodora (Teddie) for 50 years. One of their greatest joys was portraying William and Helen Gillette at Gillette Castle.
Both he and Teddie became the Gillettes. If the weather was good, they would visit the Castle on a Sunday. If it were a rainy day they didn't go there. He didn't like wearing a heavy woolen Inverness cape and cap (like Sherlock Holmes) in the rain. There is nothing like the smell of wet tweed in the morning.
So, he traded in his Sherlock Holmes deerstalker cap for a halo.
He is survived by the Love of his Life Theodora "Teddie" Niver his wife of 50 years, his brother Keith and wife Lois, his sons Christopher and wife Arianna and Johnathan and wife Paige, grandchildren Taylor and wife Rebecca, Brittany and so many dear relatives and friends. God speed my Love.
Friends and relatives are invited to call on the Niver family on Friday, March 28, 2025, from 4:00 pm to 7:00 pm at the Farley-Sullivan Funeral Home, 34 Beaver Road, Wethersfield. A funeral service celebrating Harold's life will be held in the funeral home, the next morning, Saturday, March 29, 2025, at 10:30 am. Entombment will follow in Holy Cross Cemetery, 17 Wickham Road, Glastonbury. For more information, or to leave condolences, please visit FarleySullivan.com. To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Harold "Tyke", please visit our floral store.