Robert McLeod Obituary

Robert E. "Bob" McLeod died on July 6, 2025 at Riverview Medical Center after a short illness. Bob was born in San Diego, California on March 22, 1947 while his father, Robert Sr. was serving on the battleship Iowa during the aftermath of WWII. He lived briefly in New York City, Bloomfield, New Jersey and Jacksonville, Florida before the family settled in Middletown, NJ in 1954. Bob graduated Mater Dei High School, Rutgers College-New Brunswick and Rutgers Law School-Newark. After graduating from Law School in 1972 he moved to Keyport for 43 years & then back to Middletown in 2015 where he resided until his death.
He practiced law from 1972 to 2010. He was a member of the bar of the State of New Jersey, the United States District Court for New Jersey, and the Third Circuit Court of Appeals. His appellate work produced 9 reported opinions. He was a Certified Civil Trial Attorney from 1989 to 2003. He was a member of the Monmouth County Bar Association. He served as Municipal Court Judge in Keyport and Holmdel from 1991 to 2008, retiring in January of 2008. He served as President of the Monmouth Municipal Judges Association in 2002. Earlier in his career he had served as municipal prosecutor in Matawan, West Long Branch, Highlands and Union Beach. He served as attorney to the Zoning Board of Adjustment and the Unified Planning Board in Union Beach from 1990 to 2004 and as Union Beach Borough Attorney from 2004 to January 2008, retiring in January, 2008.
Bob was an active and life member of the Keyport Volunteer Fire Department for 38 years, serving as Secretary, Lieutenant and Captain of Keyport Engine Company No. 1. He was elected to the Keyport Borough Council in 1989 and served in that office in 1990-1991. After retiring as Municipal Court Judge he was the 2008 Republican candidate for Congress in the Sixth District. He was elected Mayor of Keyport in 2010 and served in that office until 2013.
He served as secretary and recording secretary of the Keyport Republican Club. He was a member of the Keyport Kiwanis Club from 1976 to 1980 and 1994 to 2006. He was a lifelong friend to many animal companions and he had been a volunteer at the Monmouth County SPCA in Eatontown, working with both dogs and cats.
Bob is survived by his sisters Katherine and Patricia, his brother Kenneth, his brothers-in-law Thomas DeCostanzo and Scott Egan, his sister-in-law Angela McLeod, his nephews and nieces, Matthew and Kimberly Egan and Andie and Connor McLeod. Bob was predeceased by his sister, Barbara, parents Robert Sr. and Rose, and his Uncle Andrew, all formerly of Middletown, and many animal companions he will join at the Rainbow Bridge.
Visitation will be on Friday, July 11, 2025 from 5-8 pm at John F. Pfleger Funeral Home 115 Tindall Rd., Middletown. In lieu of flowers, it is requested that donations be made to the Monmouth County SPCA, Eatontown, New Jersey.
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