By Diane Stulga
When John “Lloyd” Vosseller, Jr. retired in April of 2016 the Borough of Harvey Cedars changed the name of the street where his family has lived for three generations from West 84th Street to Vosseller Way in honor of his forty years of service and the service of three generations of his family.
Vosseller’s family tradition of service to the Borough of Harvey Cedars began with his grandfather, Lloyd M. Vosseller. “My grandfather enjoyed duck hunting on Sandy Island and boating on Barnegat Bay. “In 1925 he purchased property on West 84th Street in Harvey Cedars and built a summer home there in 1929. By 1945, he and my grandmother were full-time residents,” said Vosseller. “My grandfather was one of the original members of the High Point Volunteer Fire Company and a member of the Barnegat Light Yacht Club.”
Vosseller’s father, John Lloyd Vosseller Sr., spent his summers in Harvey Cedars. After receiving a Purple Heart in World War II, he moved to Harvey Cedars in 1945. “My father became the Harvey Cedar building inspector, tax assessor, and commissioner,” said Vosseller. “After the Great Storm of 1962 he became the superintendent of public works for the borough and worked there until retiring in 1977. He was a life-time member of the High Point Volunteer Fire Company where he held several officer positions. He also served on the board of Southern Regional High School. My mother, Elsie, was the Harvey Cedars tax assessor for twenty years. She also volunteered at a convalescent center in Manahawkin.”
“I am thankful that my grandfather liked duck hunting and boating,” chuckled Vosseller. “It’s what led him to Harvey Cedars and brought me to live here since I was born; for seventy-four years.” Lloyd has always lived in Harvey Cedars, albeit at six other locations, he and his wife, Terry who volunteers with Harvey Cedars Emergency Management, currently live in the house his parents built in 1959 on the lot next to his grandparents on West 84th Street. “My mom designed the house, and my father literally built it by hand.”
“Twice I thought about moving,” confided Vosseller. “I was very close to moving to Albany, New York. But I stood there in an apartment overlooking the city thinking, I’m a sand stomper and I don’t belong in the city.” About twenty years ago, he and Terry again considered leaving Harvey Cedars. “We thought about moving to Virginia. But… nah,” laughed Vosseller.
Growing up in Harvey Cedars Vosseller attended LBI Grade School in Ship Bottom and Southern Regional High School. He also attended Ocean County Community College. “As a kid, I was a Cub Scout with Paul Ash, Michael White, and Francis Nooney. In the winter, I went to Sunday school at the firehouse and at Milburn Hall on East 73rd Street and then at the Bible Conference,” said Vosseller. Of the three locations, for Vosseller, Milburn Hall was perhaps the most memorable. “It did not have heat or restrooms,” he mused.
Vosseller also spent time with the VanMeter family and their cousin, Leigh Walker, whose house was destroyed in the 1962 storm. “Leigh liked to fish and crab from our dock. He would come over from his grandfather Ray “Pop” VanMeter’s house two blocks away. Pop was a machinist. He did a lot of lathe work in his garage and there were always metal shavings all over the floor. “I used to hang out in his garage with my friends. But Pop always scooted us out because we were all barefooted.”
Weekends and summers were spent with friends surfing, waterskiing, swimming, fishing, sailing, and going to beach parties. Over the winter, we just hung out at the Esso gas station in Harvey Cedars,” said Vosseller.
From the time he was a teen until the day he retired Vossler worked in Harvey Cedars. “My first summer job was at Houghtons Rowboats — bailing out boats — over and over again,” laughed Vosseller. “Next, I worked as a stock boy at Nooney’s Market. Then I worked at Harvey Cedars Auto.” Eventually, Vosseller went to work for Harvey Cedars Public Works, where he advanced to superintendent. Repairing beach dunes was an important part of the work he did there for forty years. And like his father and grandfather, for the past sixty years Vosseller has served his community as a member and officer of the High Point Volunteer Fire Company.
Remarkably, the Vosseller family continues to serve others: bettering lives, strengthening the community, and building family ties. For this Harvey Cedars family it is a tradition that endures.
