Jennie Oliver, mother of late Lt. Governor, dies at 97

Jennie B. Oliver, the mother of the late Lt. Gov. Gov. Sheila Oliver, has died.  She was 97.

Oliver worked at RCA and later at the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey before her retirement in 1995.

“A dedicated civil servant, Jennie instilled in her children valuable life lessons, encouraging them to be critical thinkers and fostering their passion for helping others,” Gov. Phil Murphy said today in a statement announcing her passing.  “From her roots in Jersey City, to the years spent raising her family in Newark, and finally to her home in East Orange, Jennie touched the lives of so many across our state.

Murphy said Oliver will be remembered “for her remarkable character and her enduring strength.”

Sheila Oliver was the first Black woman to serve as Assembly Speaker.  She served as lieutenant governor of New Jersey from 2018 until her death in 2023.

She is survived by her son, Charles, her daughter-in-law, Sylvia, and her grandchildren.