Roy Gillian, the former mayor of Ocean City, N.J., and founder of Gillian’s Wonderland Pier, has died. He was 94.
Gillian died Saturday at his home in Ocean City, according to an obituary published by Godfrey Funeral Homes.
Though Gillian served four years as mayor in the popular vacation town — and his son Jay Gillian is currently the mayor — he was best known for founding Gillian’s Wonderland Pier, a much-loved amusement park on the Ocean City boardwalk.
The Gillian family joined the amusement park business the year Roy was born, 1930, when his father, David, founded Fun Deck amusement park. Roy and his brother Bob took over Fun Deck in 1957, but Roy left in 1965 to start his own place, which became Gillian’s Wonderland Pier, according to his obituary.
For decades, the amusement park entertained locals and visitors along the Ocean City boardwalk. But just a month ago, the Gillians announced the park would be closing after Oct. 13.
“I tried my best to sustain Wonderland for as long as possible – through increasingly difficult challenges each year. But it’s no longer a viable business,” Jay Gillian wrote in a public letter. “The memories I’ve made with my family and the joy of meeting so many wonderful team members and guests will always hold a special place in my heart.”
As a popular man on the boardwalk, Roy Gillian parlayed his notoriety into a political career in and around Ocean City. He served as an Ocean City commissioner from 1963-1967 and Cape May County Freeholder from 1971-1976, picked up a few more public positions and became Ocean City Mayor from 1986-1990.
His son Jay was elected to the same position in 2010 and reelected in 2014, 2018 and 2022.