Robert (Bob) Ammon Nye, 80, died September 9, 2012 at Berks Heim where he had resided since May 2011.
Born in Reading, PA July 18, 1932, he was the son of the late Russell R. Nye and Ruth A. (Seidel) Nye-Fisher.
A graduate of Wilson High School, Class of 1950 and the Pennsylvania State Police Academy, Hershey, PA, Class of 1964.
Bob was the proprietor of Bob Nye’s Pianos and Organs 330 North 9th St., Reading. Bob also owned a piano and organ store on the West Shore Bypass and in Pottstown, PA. Bob was in the music business over 40 years before he retired in 1997.
Bob served as a police officer for the Reading Police Department for ten years between the years 1955-1969, when he resigned to work full time in the piano and organ business.
He was an entrepreneur who loved to try new business adventures. Some include owning a magazine (County Life), owning and managing 111 apartment units, a dinner theater where Bob would entertain guests on his 1922 Wurlitzer Theater Pipe Organ and 9 foot Ebony Steinway Concert Grand Piano. Bob also produced records albums of the Steinway piano and Wurlitzer pipe organ.
Bob received a Guinness Book of World Record in 1988 for building the Golden Spirit of America, the world’s largest and loudest electronic touring theater organ.
Bob collected cars and could be seen in many of Reading’s parades driving either his white and red, 1958 Oldsmobile convertible or the Silver Shadow Rolls Royce. He also was a major collector of Liberace memorabilia. Bob displayed some of the collection on The Late Show with Dave Letterman and the collection was used in performances at the Rajah Theater and Berkshire Mall.
Bob appeared on local TV, he did holiday shows for Channel 5, Berks Cable. He appeared on Channel 39, Allentown and TV 8, Lancaster.
Bob loved traveling the world with his wife Kathleen and would often take day trips piloting his own Piper Tri-Pacer.
On many of his travels Bob was often asked to play keyboards including the pipe organ in the American Church in Paris, St. Stephen’s Church in Scotland, the piano at the town hall in Bermuda and in Hamburg, Germany. Bob was also invited to play the Welte-Funk-Orgel, theater organ, at Norddeutscher Rundfunk (NDR) (North German Broadcasting).
Bob performed at benefits for local charity events and donated many keyboards to the Salvation Army. While in the music business, Bob would donate an organ for the Easter Dawn Service on Mt. Penn. Bob and wife Kathleen volunteered for the American Cancer Society’s Daffodil Days.
Bob was a member of American Federation of Musicians Local 135-211, Inc.-Reading, PA-retired.
He is survived by his wife of 27 years, Kathleen (VanFossen) Nye, Reading, PA.
Bob’s three daughters, Victoria, wife of Howard Hafetz, Shillington, Sherry Schaeffer-McNabb, Wyomissing, and Roberta J. Nye, Temple. Two stepsons, Timothy J. Harding, husband of Yvonne (Vadnais) Harding, Derry, NH and William D. Harding, Reading. Grandsons, Justin L. Schaeffer, Wyomissing and D. Cameron Hafetz, Kutztown, Granddaughter, Erika A. Hafetz, Philadelphia, step grandsons, Joshua Hafetz, husband of Dayna, Conshohocken, James and Jonathan Harding, Derry, NH and William and Joshua Harding, Dover, NH, step granddaughters, Jessica Hammel, wife of Jed Hammel, Gladwyn and Amanda F. Harding, Sinking Spring, step great grandchildren, Chelsea Hafetz, and Charlie and Brody Hammel.
Bob was pre-deceased by his parents and half brother, Robert R. Nye Sr.
Service will be held Wednesday at 12 Noon in Henninger Funeral Home, Inc., 229 N. 5th St., Reading. Entombment will follow in Charles Evans Cemetery. Visitation will be held at the funeral home from 11 AM to the time of service.
A Celebration of Life will also be held for family and friends at the home of Victoria and Howard Hafetz, Wednesday at 7 P.M.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Humane Society of Berks County, 1801 N. 11th St., Reading, PA 19604 or to the Yocum Institute for Arts Education, 1100 Belmont Ave., Wyomissing, PA 19610.
Please leave condolences online at www.henningerfuneralhome.com
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