Obituary of Ann N. Tsubota

Ann N. Tsubota, age 79, of Pittstown, NJ, passed away at home on Friday, October 18, 2024.  Born on September 27, 1945, Ann was the daughter of the late Rosemary and Shigeru Tsubota.  

Ann was born in St. Paul, MN.  She graduated from Heidelberg American High School in 1963 and earned her BA in American Studies from Douglass College of Rutgers University.  She took a pottery course under Professor Ka Kwong Hui at Douglass and courses in NYC at Baldwin Pottery.  She soon found that her future was in the arts, specifically in ceramics.  She later returned to Rutgers to earn her MFA.  

She taught for a number of years as a part-time ceramic’s instructor

at several colleges before becoming a full-time instructor at Raritan Valley Community College in 1979.  She rose to become a full professor and chaired the Visual and Performing Arts Department for a number of years.  One of her favorite subjects to teach was the Japanese firing technique known as Raku.  She organized numerous faculty and student art exhibits and conducted numerous trips for students to NYC to various art museums.  

Ann maintained a studio complete with kilns at her house in Pittstown.  Annually, she held a well-attended pottery sale at her home, where the old home’s blacksmith shop became her gallery.  In the last several years, she invited Bill Macholdt, a former student, adjunct faculty member, and dear friend to also exhibit and sell his pottery at the sale.  

Over the years, she was represented by several art galleries and museums, including the Hunterdon Art Museum in Clinton, NJ, and Sara Japanese Pottery in NYC, where she was part of their 30th Anniversary Exhibition.  She is featured in the book Women Artists on the Leading Edge, by Joan M. Marter.

Ann loved a good party and having friends over.  She yearly hosted a New Year’s Tea and a Super Bowl party.  A highlight of the party was her homemade makizushi which included unagi (eel) that she would purchase on her summer trips to Hawaii.  

Ann is survived by her siblings, Elaine Tsubota (Charlie Warren), Stuart Tsubota (Katherine Weston), Michael Tsubota (Annette Tolomeo), Joanne Woolfenden (Robert Woolfenden), six nieces and nephews, and five great nieces and nephews.  She also leaves many dear friends, including Kathy Schulz and Bill Macholdt.  

A Celebration of Life will be held at a later date.

Donations in Ann’s memory may be made to God’s Love We Deliver, ℅ Philanthropy Department, 166 Avenue of the Americas, New York, New York 10013.