After 71 years living in "paradise", the Dunedin man decided that when the time came, he wanted to be buried a New Zealand citizen.
Yesterday at the Dunedin Town Hall, his wish came true.
"To me, to become a New Zealander after all this time is a great feeling — and having my family here is wonderful."
He had just been "very busy" all his life, but finally submitted the paperwork.
"I’ve had my wife sleeping with an alien for many years — I finally found the time."
In 1955, after finishing his tool-making apprenticeship, Mr Oskam left the Netherlands after his friend suggested they emigrate. He turned 20 during the voyage.
"We had a choice of going to Australia or Canada or South Africa, and we saw many films of the different countries, and we both liked New Zealand."
Once he arrived in Wellington, he took another boat to Lyttelton before jumping on a train to Dunedin.
Aside from a two-year stint helping build the Roxburgh Dam, he has been here ever since.
"It’s a paradise to me."
Mr Oskam met his wife, Mavis (nee Dick), at the Dunedin Town Hall more than 60 years ago.
They have seven children, 15 grandchildren, two great-grandchildren and have lived in the Kaikorai Valley area almost their entire married life.
"We managed to get a rough piece of land and we managed to turn it into my paradise.
"It was overgrown with gorse and broom, and now it is filled with all kinds of native plants, lots of rhododendrons, camellias, cabbage trees, you name it.
"New Zealand is a paradise, I have a great life here."
The couple already had their plots picked out in the Portobello Cemetery.
Mr Oskam said he really wanted to be buried as a New Zealand citizen.
After arriving in New Zealand so many decades ago, he shared the delights of his new home with his five brothers and parents still in the Netherlands.
The tales of his new home were so captivating they all followed him here.
Apart from one brother who went back after his wife got homesick, the large Oskam family has spread across the country.
He was extremely happy with the native kowhai tree he received for becoming a citizen.
It was getting planted at his home.
"I hope to live long enough to see some flowers on it."
