Robert E Wintz

Robert Earl Wintz passed away on July 20, 2026, from natural causes at the age of 96. Bob to his associates, Bobby to his oldest friends and GeeBee to his family, was born on May 21, 1930, in West New York, NJ, to Julie and Doris Wintz. Sharp of mind and hale of body for a man nearing the century mark, his passing was quick, peaceful and without prolonged drama, just as he would have wanted it to be.

Bob saw life through the lens of poetry, adages and song lyrics. There was not an emotion, feeling or expression of comfort to others that could not be punctuated and described by a song—most often Broadway, but also the great American standards—not surprising for the son of a big band leader and a concert violinist turned stay-at-home mom.

I Got Rhythm (from Girl Crazy)

Bob’s early years were spent with his older brother, Les, hanging around their father’s many New York City live remote radio broadcasts at a time when Swing was King and much of America experienced its live music over the radio.

Open A New Window (Mame)

After graduating from Rutgers, Bob joined the Air Force during the Korean War. Bob was a self-described “bus rider”. Throughout his long business career, he pursued new ventures and adventures with vigor and creativity. Bob began his civilian career in stockholder relations, but soon pivoted to the bakery business, where he held leadership positions with companies including Joe Lowe, Popsicle, and Consolidated Foods/Sara Lee. He helped establish Leisuredyne Inc, which introduced the AquaDart, the first personal motor boat and forerunner of the modern Jet Ski and Wave Runner

In 1972, Bob founded Wintz Associates/REWCO, Inc., a food brokerage that helped pioneer a system of single-source bakers to support the burgeoning supermarket bakery and eventual in-store bakery business. In the late 70’s Bob worked with Danny Wegman to introduce the concept of Natural Foods, Specialty Cheeses and International Foods in Wegmans Supermarkets and then helped what is now United Natural Foods Inc. extend the concept of store-within-a-store Natural Foods Departments to supermarkets throughout the Eastern US helping to fuel the developing Natural Foods Movement.

In 1996, Bob co-founded The Run-A-Ton Group with his son, creating groundbreaking bakery and natural food brands including Wholly Wholesome, Wholly Gluten Free and Unique Belgique. While Bob gracefully handed over the reins of both companies, he never really retired from the people who made up his work family. He remained an inspiration, historian, mentor and source of wisdom and perspective on weekly company Zooms right up until the month of his passing, extending his legend as a raconteur of exceptional wit and detail.

Waiting Around for the Girls Upstairs (Follies)

In 1955, a chance blind date introduced Bob to the love of his life, Jane Hennessy, a Broadway dancer living at The Rehearsal Club, the legendary New York residence for aspiring young female performers. Fellow residents included Carol Burnett, Blythe Danner, Diane Keaton and Sandy Duncan. As gentlemen callers weren’t allowed above the first floor, Bob would dutifully wait downstairs with the other “Stage Door Johnnies” for his “Brondie” to appear so they could dance their way through the ballrooms of Manhattan.

I Do! I Do! (Title song)

Bob and Jane wed in 1956 and Jane turned in her tap shoes to start a family with Bob. Together they had four children and sprouted a family tree rooted in Morristown, NJ which they later replanted in Hilton Head, SC. Over the course of their 70 years together that seedling grew into a gracious and spreading Live Oak.

What I Did For Love (A Chorus Line)

In addition to his creative and entrepreneurial pursuits, Bob gave generously of himself to his community. He coached baseball and served as a Chief in Indian Guides, the YMCA father-son program that fostered camaraderie and closer relationships between fathers and their sons. Impressed by the connections it created, Bob helped initiate a father-daughter counterpart through Indian Princesses. He served on the board of Fairmount Country Club in Chatham, NJ, and later was integral to the development of the Darius Rucker Intercollegiate Golf Tournament held at the Long Cove Club in Hilton Head, SC.

For Good (Wicked)

Bob was a mentor and innovator, both in business and on a personal level. Many supermarket and food industry executives credit Bob’s counsel, insights and generosity with helping shape their careers. From Wegmans to Kroger, Murray’s Cheese to Maple Leaf Foods, United Natural Foods to French’s, Bob helped executives, their team members, and companies grow, evolve and become better at what they did. For him, business and life was always about people first. Professional relationships became personal relationships, and personal relationships often became family relationships that endured decades after the business that first brought them together had ended. Bob was always ready to reach out to invite people in. If he and Jane saw a person eating by themselves in a restaurant, they would often invite them to join them at their table and through that practice met some of their dearest friends. One friend loved to tell of a time when Bob, quite literally, gave the coat off his back to a shivering person in need on the streets of NYC. Bob was a confidante, cheerleader, mentor, consoler, benefactor, and friend to scores of people of all ages and stripes.

Puttin’ On The Ritz (Young Frankenstein)

What stands out for most who met Bob was his style and elan, whether as a Beau Brommel, host or gourmand. Bob dressed to impress with his trademark pastel sports jackets, complimentary solid silk ties and matching pocket square, finished off by his iconic spectator shoes. Few and far between are those who could rival Bob’s knowledge of fine food and ability to put on a memorable soirée whether at an elegant restaurant for friends, family or customers; welcoming hundreds into their home for the annual Wintz family Christmas party; a elevational wine and cheese tasting for neighbors; orchestrating a gourmet tailgater for the 220 members of the Notre Dame Marching band in the snow at Penn State; or producing a reunion picnic and musical review for a few hundred Morristown Musical Theater Alumni.

The Story Goes On (Baby)

For all of Bob’s accomplishments, his greatest love and passion was his large and loving family. These past few years, much of his energy was devoted to providing tender care for the love of his life, Jane (his Brondie, Muzzy to the grands) who passed away in April of 2025. Over the course of their 70-year love story, Bob and Jane danced their way through the decades, across ballrooms and dance floors, on land and at sea. Together they planted a family tree whose branches continued to spread farther than either could have imagined when that blind date first brought them together in 1955. From 1967 through 2025, Bob wrote an annual Letter to Santa, keeping the Big Man apprised of the state of the world and, more importantly, the continuing story of the family he and Jane had created. That story began with their four children—Jami McKeon Hollway (John), Bonnie Wintz Boroian, Doon Wintz (Nancy) and Julie Ballestero (Mark)—and grew to include 16 grandchildren and seven grand-spouses: Jake McKeon (Heather), Samantha McKeon Goldmann (Jon), Hillary Boroian Ghent (Greg), Brittany Boroian Srinath (Vinay), Donner Boroian (Claire), Mitch Ballestero (Emma), Maddie Ballestero, Siobhan Boroian, Dillon Wintz (Sarah), Payton Hollway, Liam Wintz, Kate Boroian, MJ Hollway, Tate Ballestero, Finn Wintz, and Phoebe Wintz.

And then came the next generation: Beau, Doc, Welles, and Darby McKeon; Miles Goldmann and his eagerly anticipated baby brother; Caroline, Ben, and Evelyn Ghent; Pummy Srinath; Blake, Colin, and Nolan Boroian; and the first Ballestero great-grandchild, also on the way. As Bob would have wished, their story goes on. And so will Bob’s Letter to Santa.

The Song Is Ended, but the Melody Lingers On (Ziegfeld Follies)

The family will hold a celebration of Bob’s life on Sunday morning, May 16, 2027. Those interested in receiving details about the celebration can enter their information at this link: https://forms.gle/JYXnHaHm8r95iMzy8

Bob was known for his legendary generosity; he gave to many causes and individuals in need. If you are moved to honor Bob’s memory, donate to your favorite charity in Bob’s name, or feel free to contribute to the fund he helped establish to honor his beloved at The Morristown High School Jane Wintz Memorial Theater Fund https://link.edgepilot.com/s/12143377/UF9H8AvAQEaEjfCkd6cP3w?u=https://givebutter.com/MHSJaneWintzMemorial

God Bless Us Every One (A Christmas Carol)

When Bob’s father, Julie Wintz, passed away in 1953, syndicated “Broadway Night Life” columnist Felix Towle wrote words of admiration that, more than seven decades later, seem just as appropriate for the son as they were for the father: “If the songs of the birds seem sweeter, if there's more lilt to the melody of a babbling brook, or if a symphony of Summer Breeze or Wintry wind sounds new, let’s tell ourselves we know the reason why.”