Obituary of Wilhelmina Juhlin

Wilhelmina “Willie” Juhlin, a devoted mother and teacher, Holocaust survivor, amazing photographer, and longtime Morristown volunteer, passed away peacefully in the presence of family after a decades-long battle with cancer on Sept. 12, 2025, in Morristown, New Jersey. She was 85.

Willie was born on Nov. 14, 1939, in Alkmaar, The Netherlands. During World War II, she and her brother, Maarten de Kadt, survived as hidden children as their parents and other relatives perished. After the war, their maternal grandmother, who was liberated from the Bergen-Belsen concentration camp, located the two children and brought them to New York City. Raised in Queens, Willie learned English as a new language and carried the lessons of those early years—resilience, gratitude, and the importance of bearing witness—throughout her life.

After earning a bachelor’s degree from Colby College in Waterville, Maine, and a master’s degree from Rutgers University in New Brunswick, NJ, Willie became a teacher. Much of her career was spent as an ESL (English as a Second Language) specialist—work that was deeply personal to her because she had arrived in the United States without speaking English. She opened young lives to a new language and new opportunities and was admired by colleagues and students for her patience, warmth and quiet determination.

Willie was also a brave and generous storyteller. For decades, she shared her own experience as a Holocaust survivor with students and community groups, helping younger generations understand the human cost of hatred and the value of compassion. She also told stories through her photography, which captured visions from her many travels.

Willie and her husband, Thor (who predeceased her), were active in the life of their community. Together, they founded the Morristown Junior Lacrosse Club. Willie also volunteered with Friends of Foote’s Pond Wood in Morristown and was a longtime volunteer at the Interfaith Food Pantry, quietly supporting neighbors in need.

Willie is survived by her brother, Maarten de Kadt (Katya); three children, Jill Keefer (Brian), Glenn Juhlin (Laurie), and Andy Juhlin (Sara); eight grandchildren; and niece Sonja Burkholder (Brandon). Her family and many friends will remember her wit, steady kindness, determination, and commitment to service.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that contributions in Willie’s memory be made to Friends of Foote’s Pond Wood, 128 James Street, Morristown NJ 07960 (indicate contribution is in memory of Willie Juhlin), or the Interfaith Food Pantry (click here, and be sure to complete the Tribute information).

Visitation will be held from 4 to 7 p.m. on Thursday, Sept. 18, at Dangler Funeral Home, 600 Speedwell Ave., Morris Plains, NJ.

A Celebration of Life, featuring many of Willie’s award-winning photographs, will be held from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m., with a eulogy starting at 6:30 p.m., on Friday, Nov. 21, at the Morris Museum, 6 Normandy Heights Rd., Morristown, NJ.