Rev. Frank J. Villerius

The Reverend Frank J. Villerius passed away at 94 on March 29, 2026 in Hillsborough, New Jersey while receiving hospice care.  He was the oldest of four children born to Jan Johannes Villerius and Lamberta Maria Villerius-van der Zwaan on June 12, 1931 in Rotterdam, Netherlands. He married Mieke de Jong in July 1956 and they embarked together a week later to the United States to settle in Holland Michigan where they had 3 children, Betty Jane, Mary Ann (who passed as an infant) and John Peter.  They became United States citizens in 1962.

Frank and Mieke worked and raised children all while Frank earned a bachelor’s degree from Hope College.  Upon graduating, the family departed for New Jersey where Frank earned his Master of Divinity degree from New Brunswick Theological Seminary in 1966. He was called and ordained as a minister of Word and Sacrament in the South Branch Reformed Church where he was in the pulpit for 26 years.

Following his South Branch pastorate, Frank served as interim pastor at churches in Three Bridges, Blawenberg, Finderne and the Virgin Islands and pursued clinical pastoral education at Christ Hospital in Jersey City.  Upon becoming a chaplain at 62, Frank discovered a new calling which he pursued passionately until a stroke forced his retirement at age 85.

As a chaplain, Frank served many local senior communities as well as being regularly on-call at Somerset Medical Center, and officiating baptisms, weddings and funerals all over central New Jersey.

Frank’s most engaging chaplaincy was as a hospice chaplain and bereavement counsellor for Community Visiting Nurses Association in which he guided people of all faiths and traditions to their sources of strength, comfort and grace.

While ministering to an elderly gentlemen at Foothills Acres Nursing Home, Frank made the acquaintance of his daughter, Mary Diehl, who became his close friend for more than 25 years.

Frank was preceded in death by his wife Mieke, his brother Piet Villerius, his sister Janneke Gijmink-Villerius, his infant daughter Mary Ann.

He is survived by his daughter Betty Jahnke of Saline Michigan, her husband Jay, son John of Minneapolis, Minnesota, his wife Melinda, grandchildren Katey and Brett Jahnke, Paul, Peter (and wife Lyndsay) and Miri Villerius, great granddaughter Mary-Grace Villerius, sister Cobie Korporaal-Villerius of Oud-Beijerland, Netherlands, nieces and nephews.

Memorial contributions can be made to the Community Visiting Nurses Association for its hospice program.  Address: 110 West End Avenue, Somerville, NJ 08876

A memorial service will be held at the South Branch Reformed Church on June 13, 2026 at 10:00 AM with a reception to follow. 

Cremation arrangements were made by Bridgewater Funeral Home, 707 E. Main Street, Bridgewater, NJ 08807. 

Psalm 25:4 (in Dutch): s’Heeren goedheid kent geen palen.

To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Rev. Frank J. Villerius, please visit our floral store.