Office Hours: Monday – Friday, 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Calls outside of office hours? No worries! Our team will respond within 10–15 minutes.
October 5, 2026
Services
Friends may visit with the family on Saturday, October 10, 2026 from 1-4 PM at the Vander May Wayne Colonial Funeral Home, 567 Ratzer Road, Wayne, NJ. A funeral service will begin at 3 PM at the funeral home.
Shiva visitation for the Gelman family will be held in Edison, NJ, during the following times:
• Saturday: 5:00 PM – 8:00 PM
• Sunday: 11:00 AM – 5:00 PM
• Monday: 11:00 AM – 3:00 PM
Please text Rachel, Jeana, or any member of the Gelman family to request the address.
Jason Paul Gelman, age 55 of Wayne, NJ, passed away on Monday, October 5, 2026.
Jason was born and raised in Edison, NJ, the eldest of two children to Bonnie and Martin Gelman. At JP Stevens High School he was a member of the Drama Club. He went on to obtain a degree in Communications from Rutgers University.
Jason was entrepreneurial, with a passion for music and radio from a young age. At just 14, he started a DJ business called Hitmen DJ’s. Back then, being a DJ meant more than playing a prerecorded set. Jason brought stacks and stacks of CDs and records and spun them on the spot. He performed at all sorts of parties and eventually renamed his business JPG Entertainment. At the same time, he worked with his cousin Barry at his landscape company.
His love of music and media carried him into a long career in radio and television. Over the years he worked for WPLJ, WKTU, SW Networks, LAUNCH, Yahoo! Music, United Stations, Radio Networks, Metro Traffic (and even reported from the traffic helicopter!), and several others. Starting in 2005, he worked for ABC Radio and ABC Television, writing music and entertainment news for ABC Radio and proofing and editing the graphics, text, and photos that appeared on national news. His work with ABC Television supported World News Now, Good Morning America First Look, Good Morning America, and What You Need to Know, in his role as a DGA Broadcast and Graphics Associate for the network. In 2012 he received the Edward R. Murrow Award for ABC News breaking news coverage and special reporting as well as multiple Emmy's, and his career gave him many unique opportunities to meet and work with countless celebrities. But his favorite coworker was his son Steven, whom he was fortunate to work alongside for the last three years.
Jason would always call his family on his way to and from work, and make sure to text his family when he made it to work "At my desk!" and when he was picking up Ryan from school "Picking up Ryan." He always loved to share stories from their car rides, because Ryan had inherited his same sense of humor. When he wasn't calling his family or talking to Ryan about his school day, he was listening to Howard Stern on the radio.
Above all, Jason was a family man. He was blessed with three children, Steven (2000), Kaitlyn (2003), and Ryan (2018).
Jason was extremely proud of his daughter Kaitlyn and her journey at the University of Scranton, including finishing her Masters degree in Occupational Therapy and studying to take her national board certification exam to become an OT.
Jason found joy in watching Ryan perform on stage and express his creativity. He enjoyed making art and building legos, which you could find them doing together on a regular basis. Ryan's creativity and love for music comes from Jason's inspiration and he was even teaching him how to play the keyboard.
He was also a bonus parent to Brandon and Danny. He loved all his kids dearly and was incredibly proud of each of them. He treasured watching them enjoy the things they were passionate about, and he loved spending time at the beach with them including many outings to Toms Lake in Wayne.
Jason will be remembered as calm, steady, easy-going, and always kind and respectful. No one ever had a bad word to say about him. He was quiet and laid-back, and you might not even notice him until he delivered a good joke, showing he had been quietly attentive all along. He had a remarkable gift for hearing a song and playing it on the piano or guitar with ease. He passed that ability to play music onto Kaitlyn and Ryan, and his love of music to all his children. He had an eclectic music taste, and loved concerts with Billy Joel, Kenny Chesney, Ed Sheeran, Guns N’ Roses, Zac Brown Band and Old Dominion among his favorites.
Jason was an avid collector of cards, coins and autographs. His love of baseball came from attending many baseball games and card shows with his father. According to his father he was the ideal son that evolved into a wonderful man with the proper priorities.
Jason loved sweet potato fries with marshmallow sauce, and he always made sure to pass along today’s weather, like his father. He enjoyed going to garage sales and flea markets. He also liked to cook and try new recipes, and enjoyed gardening and planting, which he inherited from his mother, and even created a vegetable garden this year. In his spare time he enjoyed moderating the "Everything Wayne" Facebook group and posting all the latest local news and other fun things to do around town.
He was always there for the people he loved and tried his best to help everyone. He will be dearly missed by all who were lucky enough to get to know him.
Jason is predeceased by his grandparents Sol and Sally Gelman, and Sydney and Ruth Black; his Great Aunt Muriel Chait, and his Great Grandmother Celia Jacobson.
Jason is survived by his Mom Bonnie Black, his dad Martin Gelman and his wife Ellen; his sister Rachel Gelman Charlton; his partner of 20 years Jeana Andersen; his children: Steven Gelman, his favorite daughter Kaitlyn Gelman, his son Ryan Gelman, and his bonus children Brandon and Danny; his favorite nephew Aubrey; and many other cousins, friends, and colleagues.
In lieu of flowers, please consider donating plants for Saturday’s service or a memorial donation in Jason’s name to the American Heart Association.
If you would like to send a private condolence directly to the family use this condolence section.
Friends may visit with the family on Saturday, October 10, 2026 from 1-4 PM at the Vander May Wayne Colonial Funeral Home, 567 Ratzer Road, Wayne, NJ. A funeral service will begin at 3 PM at the funeral home.
Shiva visitation for the Gelman family will be held in Edison, NJ, during the following times:
• Saturday: 5:00 PM – 8:00 PM
• Sunday: 11:00 AM – 5:00 PM
• Monday: 11:00 AM – 3:00 PM
Please text Rachel, Jeana, or any member of the Gelman family to request the address.
October 6, 2026
October 5, 2026
Services
Friends may visit with the family on Saturday, October 10, 2026 from 1-4 PM at the Vander May Wayne Colonial Funeral Home, 567 Ratzer Road, Wayne, NJ. A funeral service will begin at 3 PM at the funeral home.
Shiva visitation for the Gelman family will be held in Edison, NJ, during the following times:
• Saturday: 5:00 PM – 8:00 PM
• Sunday: 11:00 AM – 5:00 PM
• Monday: 11:00 AM – 3:00 PM
Please text Rachel, Jeana, or any member of the Gelman family to request the address.
Jason Paul Gelman, age 55 of Wayne, NJ, passed away on Monday, October 5, 2026.
Jason was born and raised in Edison, NJ, the eldest of two children to Bonnie and Martin Gelman. At JP Stevens High School he was a member of the Drama Club. He went on to obtain a degree in Communications from Rutgers University.
Jason was entrepreneurial, with a passion for music and radio from a young age. At just 14, he started a DJ business called Hitmen DJ’s. Back then, being a DJ meant more than playing a prerecorded set. Jason brought stacks and stacks of CDs and records and spun them on the spot. He performed at all sorts of parties and eventually renamed his business JPG Entertainment. At the same time, he worked with his cousin Barry at his landscape company.
His love of music and media carried him into a long career in radio and television. Over the years he worked for WPLJ, WKTU, SW Networks, LAUNCH, Yahoo! Music, United Stations, Radio Networks, Metro Traffic (and even reported from the traffic helicopter!), and several others. Starting in 2005, he worked for ABC Radio and ABC Television, writing music and entertainment news for ABC Radio and proofing and editing the graphics, text, and photos that appeared on national news. His work with ABC Television supported World News Now, Good Morning America First Look, Good Morning America, and What You Need to Know, in his role as a DGA Broadcast and Graphics Associate for the network. In 2012 he received the Edward R. Murrow Award for ABC News breaking news coverage and special reporting as well as multiple Emmy's, and his career gave him many unique opportunities to meet and work with countless celebrities. But his favorite coworker was his son Steven, whom he was fortunate to work alongside for the last three years.
Jason would always call his family on his way to and from work, and make sure to text his family when he made it to work "At my desk!" and when he was picking up Ryan from school "Picking up Ryan." He always loved to share stories from their car rides, because Ryan had inherited his same sense of humor. When he wasn't calling his family or talking to Ryan about his school day, he was listening to Howard Stern on the radio.
Above all, Jason was a family man. He was blessed with three children, Steven (2000), Kaitlyn (2003), and Ryan (2018).
Jason was extremely proud of his daughter Kaitlyn and her journey at the University of Scranton, including finishing her Masters degree in Occupational Therapy and studying to take her national board certification exam to become an OT.
Jason found joy in watching Ryan perform on stage and express his creativity. He enjoyed making art and building legos, which you could find them doing together on a regular basis. Ryan's creativity and love for music comes from Jason's inspiration and he was even teaching him how to play the keyboard.
He was also a bonus parent to Brandon and Danny. He loved all his kids dearly and was incredibly proud of each of them. He treasured watching them enjoy the things they were passionate about, and he loved spending time at the beach with them including many outings to Toms Lake in Wayne.
Jason will be remembered as calm, steady, easy-going, and always kind and respectful. No one ever had a bad word to say about him. He was quiet and laid-back, and you might not even notice him until he delivered a good joke, showing he had been quietly attentive all along. He had a remarkable gift for hearing a song and playing it on the piano or guitar with ease. He passed that ability to play music onto Kaitlyn and Ryan, and his love of music to all his children. He had an eclectic music taste, and loved concerts with Billy Joel, Kenny Chesney, Ed Sheeran, Guns N’ Roses, Zac Brown Band and Old Dominion among his favorites.
Jason was an avid collector of cards, coins and autographs. His love of baseball came from attending many baseball games and card shows with his father. According to his father he was the ideal son that evolved into a wonderful man with the proper priorities.
Jason loved sweet potato fries with marshmallow sauce, and he always made sure to pass along today’s weather, like his father. He enjoyed going to garage sales and flea markets. He also liked to cook and try new recipes, and enjoyed gardening and planting, which he inherited from his mother, and even created a vegetable garden this year. In his spare time he enjoyed moderating the "Everything Wayne" Facebook group and posting all the latest local news and other fun things to do around town.
He was always there for the people he loved and tried his best to help everyone. He will be dearly missed by all who were lucky enough to get to know him.
Jason is predeceased by his grandparents Sol and Sally Gelman, and Sydney and Ruth Black; his Great Aunt Muriel Chait, and his Great Grandmother Celia Jacobson.
Jason is survived by his Mom Bonnie Black, his dad Martin Gelman and his wife Ellen; his sister Rachel Gelman Charlton; his partner of 20 years Jeana Andersen; his children: Steven Gelman, his favorite daughter Kaitlyn Gelman, his son Ryan Gelman, and his bonus children Brandon and Danny; his favorite nephew Aubrey; and many other cousins, friends, and colleagues.
In lieu of flowers, please consider donating plants for Saturday’s service or a memorial donation in Jason’s name to the American Heart Association.
Guestbook