Kevin Francis Mortimer

Kevin Francis Mortimer, 61, of Toms River passed away on Tuesday, January 6, 2026 at Jersey Shore University Medical Center, Neptune Township.
Kevin grew up in Manalapan and Englishtown, spending his days playing soccer, football, and baseball and riding his friends' dirt bikes on the nearby wooded trails where his parents couldn't see him. His first jobs as a teenager were quintessential to his hometown: cooking at the Englishtown Auction and flagging Motocross at Raceway Park.
He attended Manalapan High School. He had many passions, especially the NY Giants, the NY Mets (whose games he still scored on paper), and music.
On September 3, 1977, at the age of 12, Kevin and friends walked the 2 and ½ miles from the family home to Raceway Park, where more than 100,000 people gathered to see the Grateful Dead perform during the hot and humid Labor Day weekend. This was the start of his passion for live music.
He would go on to attend several hundred shows of various acts across the country, meeting and making friends along the way. A Deadhead and Springsteen fan to his core, he honed his uncanny ability to pay very little for a ticket and then weave his way close to the stage. Kevin was also an avid music collector and trader, collecting and sharing thousands of live show recordings.
He lived in Miami, Florida for 17 years, where he became a stellar cook and Miami Hurricanes football season ticket holder. At certain establishments, he earned such a reputation as a cook that customers were known to time their visits to his work schedule.
Kevin was predeceased by his parents, Francis and Arlene Mills Mortimer.
Surviving are a brother, Timothy P. Mortimer and wife Dominika and their sons, Victor and Leo; a sister, Lori A. Mortimer and her husband Steven Nelson and their sons, Garrett and Derek; and his girlfriend, Susan Miceli.
Visitation will be held at the Higgins Memorial Home, 20 Center Street, Freehold on Monday, January 12, 2026 from 4 to 7 pm and Tuesday, January 13, 2026, from 11 am to 12 pm. A memorial service and time for remembrance will be held on Tuesday at 12 pm. Lunch will follow at a local restaurant.
In lieu of flowers, the family suggests memorial donations to Stevie VanZant's TeachRock.org or Jon BonJovi's JBJ Soul Kitchen.