John R. Vander Molen

John Robert Vander Molen, age 76, of Prospect Park passed away Tuesday, May 11, 2021.

Born in Passaic, John was raised in Clifton and later moved to Prospect Park, where he lived for 49 years.  John is survived by his loving wife, Wilma (nee Van Gent), whom he was married to for 52 years.  Devoted father to his four children and their spouses--Kenneth Vander Molen and his wife Cindy of Round Hill, Virginia; Jeffrey Vander Molen and his wife Sarah of Hawthorne; Christine and her husband Mark Sweetman of Prospect Park; and Daniel Vander Molen and his wife Cynthia of Wyckoff.  He is also survived by 7 Grandchildren:  Lindsay, Ethan, Rachel, Chloe, Liam, Jack, and James.  Also survived by two brothers, Howard of Clifton and David of Grandville, Michigan.  Predeceased by parents John and Jeanette, brothers Martin and Edward.

John and Wilma met as young children at Hope Reformed Church in Clifton.  Their relationship blossomed through their mutual interests and activities at the church.  One of John’s favorite activities was to bring Wilma to the car races.  He had a special affinity for classic cars, including his blue ’55 Chevy. 

John was a faithful member of the Union Reformed/Abundant Life Church for 46 years where he served in numerous roles as a Deacon, Elder, and member of the choir.  He was dedicated to the children of the communities in which he lived by serving on multiple School Boards of Education for 46 years, including Prospect Park, Manchester Regional, Passaic County, and the New Jersey State Board of Education.

John worked for the U.S. Postal Service in Passaic for 44 years.   He made a point of getting to know everyone on his route and prided himself on providing friendly customer service.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to:

Cystic Fibrosis Foundation

“Ethan’s Team”

111 Littleton Road, Suite 221

Parsippany, NJ 07054