OCEAN CITY – Accolades poured in for former Ocean City mayor Roy Gillian, who founded Wonderland Pier at Sixth and the Boardwalk, an amusement park that has brought joy to generations of families since 1965.
Gillian died Saturday, Aug. 17, 2024. He was 94 years old. Services are Wednesday at the Ocean City Tabernacle.
“One thing about him is that you could trust him, everything that he would do was good,” Bill Woods said.
The former real estate agent said Gillian always worked to benefit the city. “He was from there, his business was there and his family was there.”
Woods, a contemporary of Gillian’s who worked on his campaign and later his transition team, said he knew him both professionally and personally.
The former city commissioner said there is still a small group of those who worked in local government and volunteered in the community back when there were far fewer people living on the island.
“I wouldn’t say it was a surprise,” Woods said of Gillian’s passing, noting he will turn 90 next week. “There are a number of us in business, who volunteered, all about the same age.”
He said Gillian was always involved in the community, serving as president of the Exchange Club and other organizations.
“He was very involved and you could always call him to volunteer for anything to do with the boardwalk, beach and the city,” Woods said.
Don Charles, a former city and county prosecutor, said he was sorry to hear of Gillian’s passing.
“He was an icon in the history of Ocean City that will be a loss to everybody who knew him, especially his dear wife Pat,” Charles said. “He was a person of high integrity, an astute businessman and an effective politician.”
An island resident since 1971, Charles said he became acquainted with Gillian in various ways. The Ocean City-Upper Township Rotary Club member noted his club once presented an award to Gillian.
“No matter what civic club someone belonged to, they looked on Roy with a great deal of respect, and for good reason,” Charles said. “He had Ocean City’s best interests in everything he did. He was an exceptional man.”
Charles said Gillian did a lot for Ocean City.
“It is what it is because of Roy Gillian,” he said, noting Gillian was equally as effective throughout the county.
He said Gillian could work with a member of any political party and forged a great friendship with Democrat U.S. Rep. Bill Hughes, who lived on the island.
His son, William Hughes Jr., said they were so close that his parents and the Gillians would sometimes meet on vacation.
“It started when they were both in town, going back to the late 1950s, early 1960s, both my dad and Mr. Gillian were in civic organizations together,” Hughes said. “My dad ran for Congress and Mr. Gillian became mayor and their collaboration continued; they were just friends.”
He said when Gillian opened his water park, he and Bill Hughes put on 1920s bathing suits and went down the slide together.
“They had a long and good personal and professional relationship,” Hughes said. “He was this gentle guy, really nice, always had this smile on his face.”
He said one particular memory stuck with him all these years.
“Growing up, Wonderland was a huge operation, it was one of the biggest business in town. I always remember, I was hanging out on the boardwalk and there was Mr. Gillian in the ticket booth selling tickets. This was the guy that took the business very personally and very seriously. He was a part of everything that is Ocean City, down to he’s the guy you bought tickets from.”
Hughes also remembers Gillian playing piano at Greate Bay Country Club.
“There were so many sides to him that were just so cool and I really appreciated everything about him,” he said. “It’s a loss for Ocean City but he does have a terrific legacy of making and keeping it a fantastic place.”
Gillian was a skilled pianist who loved to entertain large and small audiences with his piano playing. Before serving in the U.S. Army from 1951-53, he was the orchestra leader of Roy Gillian & His Orchestra from 1947-51.
Gillian followed in the footsteps of his father, David Gillian, who opened the Fun Deck at Plymouth Place and the Boardwalk in 1930 with a Ferris wheel and a merry-go-round. After working for their father, Roy and his brother Bob took over Fun Deck when David Gillian retired in 1957. Eight years later Roy left the family business to open Wonderland Pier on his own with 10 rides. It grew since then with many different rides over the years.
The staples of Wonderland, the historic carousel with its hand-carved horses built in 1926 and the massive, 144-foot tall Ferris wheel, have become landmarks in Ocean City. He also founded Gillian’s Island and Adventure Golf.
Gillian was mayor of Ocean City from 1986 to 1990, the third mayor since the city adopted a mayor-council form of government. He was preceded by Jack Bittner (1982-86) and Chester A. Wimberg (1978-82). He also served on the former Cape May County Board of Chosen Freeholders (now the Cape May County Commissioners) from 1971-76 and was an Ocean City commissioner from 1963-67.
He also became president in 1994 of the International Association of Amusement Parks and Attractions that has members in more than 90 countries. Roy’s son, Jay Gillian, now the mayor of Ocean City, took over the family business when his father retired, but announced earlier this month that Wonderland Pier would be closing for good this fall because the business was no longer financially viable. It will mark the end of 94 years of amusements run by the Gillian family in Ocean City.
Roy Gillian was a past chairman of the board and director of Ocean City Home Bank for 34 years, past president and director of the New Jersey Amusement Association, past president of Shore Medical Center and past president of the Jersey Cape Diagnostic & Training Center.
“Roy was a special man, and one who knew the importance of giving back to his community,” said David Beyel, chairman of the Board of Trustees for Shore Medical Center.
“He loved our hospital, and was extremely committed to making sure Shore had everything it needed so patients could be cared for at the highest level,” Beyel said. “He was very active in the community and wanted to make sure they were provided the best care. Roy was a mentor to me and to many others, including some who currently serve on the board today.
“Above all,” Beyel added, “Roy knew what was right, and he did the right thing always.”
Visitation will be noon to 2 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 21, at the Ocean City Tabernacle, 550 Wesley Ave., Ocean City, with a Masonic Service at 1:45 p.m. followed by a Christian Service at 2 p.m. Burial with Military Honors will follow in Seaside Cemetery, Palermo.
– By DAVID NAHAN and CRAIG D. SCHENCK/Sentinel staff
