Robert Jerome Kiinstler Sr.

Alabaster

Robert Jerome Kiinstler Sr., age 73, lost his battle with cancer on Friday, May 16, 2014, at his home in Alabaster. Robert was born on June 3, 1940, in Maylene. He was raised in, and lived in, the Brantlyville community of Maylene until moving to Alabaster approximately eight years ago.

Robert was baptized and received first communion at a very early age. He served as altar boy and has been a member of St. Thomas Catholic Church since the church’s beginning.

Robert was a fourth generation coal miner and worked in the mines 23 years of his life. After retiring from the mines, he obtained a job with the Shelby County Highway Department where he received many milestone achievement awards and certifications, and he was quickly promoted to supervisor. When he retired from the highway department he started a lawn care business and worked part time as a driver for Town Village Retirement Home. Robert sat on the board of the Co 17 Volunteer Fire and Rescue and was a certified first responder with Homeland Security.

As Robert became weaker and couldn’t carry on his work he found other ways to stay busy. One way was brewing his own beer; he took great pains and pride in Papas Home Brew. Once he prepared root beer for the grandkids but they were afraid to try it. Another way he stayed busy was by keeping the go-carts running for the children. Having loved working on cars, motorcycles and tinkering with anything mechanical since a very young age, this was a favorite thing to do for the grands and for himself. In the last weeks of his life, with his eyesight and mind failing, he worked on perfectly good computers that he ordered to replace perfectly good computers he had worked on.

Robert was preceded in death by his father, Robert H. Kunstler; a son, Regus Brian Kiinstler; and his brother, Stephen Terry Kunstler.

Survivors include his loving wife of 41 years, Nellie Glasgow Kiinstler; his mother, Veomi Hand Kunstler of Maylene; two sons, Robert Jerome Kiinstler Jr. of Maylene and Michael Lee (Haille) of Wilsonville; three daughters, Qutrenna Francis (Jeff) of Pinson, Jenifer Kiinstler Watts of Alabaster and Deborah Ruck (Richard) of Maplesville; 19 grandchildren; and 10 great-grandchildren.

The funeral mass will be held May 19 at St. Thomas Catholic Church at 11 a.m. with visitation beginning at 9:30 a.m. Father Ray Dunmyer will officate. Burial will be at the Elliotsville Cemetery immediately following services. Services are under the direction of Rockco Funeral Home (Montevallo).

Family and friends are invited to attend a reception to be held at St. Thomas Catholic Church after burial service.