John Francis Vincent Carbone of Somerset, NJ, died January 1st 2022. He was 86 years old.
He was born on October 5th, 1935 in Somerville, NJ to the late Anthony Carbone and Olga Eva Coupe. John received his Bachelors of Art at Rutgers University in 1957. After serving in the Navy he went on to get his Masters in Art Theory and Practice at Oberlin College. He also studied marble carving in Carrara, Italy. His passion in life was in his expression and teaching of art, specifically life drawing and sculpture. He was an art administrator at MOTBY (Military Ocean Terminal, Bayonne) where he managed a ceramics program, and taught life sculpture in and around New Brunswick and Princeton NJ including at The New Jersey Art Center in Summit and the Princeton Art Association.
John held a deep love and fondness for his Italian ancestry and that manifested in all aspects of his life. He loved to speak Italian, cook delicious pasta dishes, and filled his home with classical art and opera music. He loved simple pleasures that included spending time in his home in the woods, often with a terrier or cat, and family.
John was very involved in preserving the rustic character of his neighborhood. In the late 1990s he and his neighbors created the “Highwood Conservancy”, rescuing 7 open spaces which became part of the Delaware and Raritan Canal State Park.
He was a kind, handsome and thoughtful man whose sense of humor would catch you by surprise. He had a sharp wit, a booming laugh and a delightful sparkle in his eye when he said something funny. He was a doting father.
He is survived by his daughter Alexandra Carbone (Pasadena, CA), his grandchildren Zyxia Rigau, and Luce Rigau. His sister Patricia Strong (Fred), nephew Jeffrey Holzer (Dolores) and great nephews and niece Jeff Holzer Jr, Dale Holzer, and Nicole Malunow, also his ‘stepchildren’ Rena A. Whitehouse (Edwin Baskin), Boulder, CO; Melissa J. Whitehouse (Atiba Gomez), Brooklyn, NY; Edward J. Whitehouse (Dorothy), Rumson NJ, and many other dear friends and students.
A memorial service will take place on October 8th at Resurrection Cemetery in Piscataway, at 1:30 pm.