Obituary: Lifetime Wayne Resident, Former Police Capt. William 'Bill' Visser, 78

Editor's note: The following obituary was originally published on the Vandermay Wayne Colonial Funeral Home's website and shared on social media by the Wayne PBA Local 136.

WAYNE, N.J. - Former Wayne Police Department Capt. William “Bill” Visser, Jr., 78, of Wayne, died Tuesday at home after a long battle with Alzheimer’s.

He was the loving husband of Patricia Visser.

Born on Dec. 15, 1937, he was a lifelong resident of Wayne, living on the same street his entire life. He was the son of the late William and Elsie Visser.

Visser was an Army veteran.

He attended school in Wayne, graduating from Wayne Valley High School in 1955. William graduated from Rutgers University with an Associate’s degree in Criminal Justice. He attended William Paterson College and received a Bachelor’s degree in Public Safety Administration. He went on to receive a Master’s degree in Urban Education and Community Affairs from William Paterson College, graduating Magna Cum Laude.

Upon graduating from high school, he worked for the United States Postal Service for several years.

The Wayne Police Department hired him in 1960. He retired from the police department as a captain in 1989. He later joined AAA of North Jersey where he worked as manager of public and government service until his recent retirement.

He married his wife, Patricia on May 19, 1962.

Visser enjoyed traveling the world, visiting Germany, Switzerland, Holland, Hungary, England, France, and many other countries. He enjoyed spending his retirement years with his five grandchildren, whom he loved very much.

Visser worked hard and gave his time, knowledge, and dedication to his family and community. He was a past member of the Bloomingdale Cornet Band. He was a longtime member of Wayne United Methodist Church as well as the Mountain View Masonic Lodge, Salaam Shriners, Scottish Rite, Wayne Policemen's Benevolent Association, the Bergen County Police Chiefs Association, the Passaic County Police Chief Association, and the Tri-County Chamber of Commerce.

Visser is survived by his wife, Patricia (nee Ryder) Visser and their two children, Kurt, and his wife Jacqueline, of Stroudsburg, Pa., and Sherry (nee Visser) Tanski, and her husband Patrick, of Wayne and grandchildren William, Timothy, and Nicholas Visser of Stroudsburg, Pa., and Madison and Skylar Tanski of Wayne.

Funeral services will be held at the Wayne United Methodist Church in Wayne at 10 a.m. Saturday. Interment will follow at the Laurel Grove Cemetery in Totowa.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to the Alzheimer’s Association at alz.org or by calling 1-800-272-3900, or to the Shriner’s Hospitals for Children, 2900 Rocky Point Dr., Tampa, Fla. 33607 or online at shrinershospitals.org.

Capt. William “Bill” Visser/Wayne PBA 136