Millstone Township residents and public officials are mourning the loss of a longtime member of the Township Committee who served the town for more than a decade.
Robert Kinsey, 58, died on Sept. 19 after a lengthy illness. Kinsey’s death was announced by committee members at a meeting held that evening.
On Aug. 16, citing his illness, Kinsey resigned from his seat on the governing body, concluding a tenure that began in 2005. When he left the committee, Kinsey was the second longest serving member of the governing body.
During his 13 years on the committee, Kinsey served as mayor from 2014-16 and as deputy mayor from 2006-10.
Kinsey had lived in Millstone since 1994 and is survived by his wife and three daughters. He graduated from The College of New Jersey in 1982 with a degree in accounting and was a certified public accountant and the founder/CEO of a real estate consulting and advisory firm.
Committee members remembered Kinsey at their Sept. 19 meeting with praise for his service to Millstone and condolences to his family. Deputy Mayor Nancy Grbelja, the longest serving member of the governing body, said, “On behalf of the Township Committee, I would like to extend our deepest sympathy to [his wife] Paula [and daughters] Taylor, Kristina and Alex.
“Bob served on the Township Committee since 2005. He served as deputy mayor with me for eight years and three years as mayor. His work was impeccable.
“He took the finances of this community and turned them around, trained our CFO (chief financial officer) and Finance Department to where Millstone is set for the future and has nothing to worry about. We’re in good shape, along with the work he has done with all of the departments in the township,” Grbelja said.
Grbelja said she and Kinsey “had our ups and downs, we’ve had a lot of fun, we’ve had our arguments. He’s going to be greatly missed. It’s very sad that a man who is as young as he is has been taken from us so early. My heart really goes out to his three daughters especially. They are far too young to have lost their father.
“Bob at this particular point is in a better place. He is at peace and one thing I can say to his family is they don’t have to worry because he’s on their shoulder every single second and watching everything they are doing so they are not going to get away with anything and they can feel he hasn’t left them. So again, we wish the family well,” she said.