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May 1, 2026
Services
Friends may visit with the family at the Vander May Wayne Colonial Funeral Home, 567 Ratzer Road, Wayne, on Wednesday, May 6, 2026 from 9:30 -11 AM. A funeral service will be held at 11 AM, at the funeral home.
Wilma J. Oliphant (nee Nyland), 92, passed away peacefully on Friday, May 1, 2026. She leaves a legacy of devotion to family, faith, and her community.
Wilma was born in Clifton, New Jersey, where she spent her early years. She resided in Pompton Plains for much of her life, where she also raised her family. In 1994, she moved to Wayne, where she would reside for the remainder of her life.
In the 1950s, Wilma worked as a secretary for NJM Insurance on Piaget Avenue in Clifton. It was there that she met her future husband, James. Their shared workplace led to a lasting partnership, and they exchanged vows in 1957. They enjoyed a life together centered on love and mutual support until Jim’s passing in 1991.
Wilma was a devoted and caring mother to her three sons, James, Steven, and David. She took great pride in her home and found joy in preparing meals for her family—no small task given her sons’ famously selective tastes. Nevertheless, her cooking was cherished, and her egg noodle casserole became a particular family favorite.
A woman of quiet talent and determination, Wilma was a self-taught piano and organ player. Her passion for music began at the age of fourteen, when her parents gifted her a piano. She would go on to share that gift for many years, playing both piano and organ at her church, the Fairfield Reformed Church, where her dedication enriched countless services and touched many lives.
Wilma’s creative spirit extended beyond music. She enjoyed crafting, ceramics, and needlepoint, and she spent many hours knitting small blankets and hats, which she generously donated to local hospitals for newborn babies—a reflection of her lifelong kindness and thoughtfulness.
In her later years, Wilma spent a brief period in retirement in Bradenton, Florida, before returning to Wayne, New Jersey, where she remained close to her family.
Wilma is survived by her three sons, James, David, and Steven, who will remember her as a loving mother, a gifted musician, and a woman whose warmth and generosity left a lasting impression on all who knew her. She was predeceased by her beloved husband, James, in 1991, as well as all five of her brothers. Wilma will be dearly missed and fondly remembered.
If you would like to send a private condolence directly to the family use this condolence section.
Friends may visit with the family at the Vander May Wayne Colonial Funeral Home, 567 Ratzer Road, Wayne, on Wednesday, May 6, 2026 from 9:30 -11 AM. A funeral service will be held at 11 AM, at the funeral home.
May 1, 2026
Services
Friends may visit with the family at the Vander May Wayne Colonial Funeral Home, 567 Ratzer Road, Wayne, on Wednesday, May 6, 2026 from 9:30 -11 AM. A funeral service will be held at 11 AM, at the funeral home.
Wilma J. Oliphant (nee Nyland), 92, passed away peacefully on Friday, May 1, 2026. She leaves a legacy of devotion to family, faith, and her community.
Wilma was born in Clifton, New Jersey, where she spent her early years. She resided in Pompton Plains for much of her life, where she also raised her family. In 1994, she moved to Wayne, where she would reside for the remainder of her life.
In the 1950s, Wilma worked as a secretary for NJM Insurance on Piaget Avenue in Clifton. It was there that she met her future husband, James. Their shared workplace led to a lasting partnership, and they exchanged vows in 1957. They enjoyed a life together centered on love and mutual support until Jim’s passing in 1991.
Wilma was a devoted and caring mother to her three sons, James, Steven, and David. She took great pride in her home and found joy in preparing meals for her family—no small task given her sons’ famously selective tastes. Nevertheless, her cooking was cherished, and her egg noodle casserole became a particular family favorite.
A woman of quiet talent and determination, Wilma was a self-taught piano and organ player. Her passion for music began at the age of fourteen, when her parents gifted her a piano. She would go on to share that gift for many years, playing both piano and organ at her church, the Fairfield Reformed Church, where her dedication enriched countless services and touched many lives.
Wilma’s creative spirit extended beyond music. She enjoyed crafting, ceramics, and needlepoint, and she spent many hours knitting small blankets and hats, which she generously donated to local hospitals for newborn babies—a reflection of her lifelong kindness and thoughtfulness.
In her later years, Wilma spent a brief period in retirement in Bradenton, Florida, before returning to Wayne, New Jersey, where she remained close to her family.
Wilma is survived by her three sons, James, David, and Steven, who will remember her as a loving mother, a gifted musician, and a woman whose warmth and generosity left a lasting impression on all who knew her. She was predeceased by her beloved husband, James, in 1991, as well as all five of her brothers. Wilma will be dearly missed and fondly remembered.
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