Ann Wiss of Short Hills, NJ, beloved mother and grandmother, dedicated volunteer, and passionate gardener, passed away on December 29, 2021, nine days before her 100th birthday. Ann was raised in Burlington, NC, and came to New Jersey in 1936 to attend Dwight School for Girls in Englewood. After attending Smith College, she moved to New York to study painting under Raphael Soyer and George Grosz at the Art Students League and under Moses Soyer at the New Art School. During World War II, Ann helped draft plans for airplanes at Grumman Aircraft. In 1943, she married Norman F. Wiss, Jr. of Short Hills. Two months later, Norm left for the Pacific Theater, where he was stationed until the end of the war. Upon his return, they settled down and had a family. Among her many roles as a volunteer, Ann served as Placement Chairman for the Junior League of the Oranges and Short Hills; Head of the Sunday School and Chairman of the Women's Guild at Christ Church in Short Hills; and a costume restorer with the Costume Institute of the Metropolitan Museum of Art. In her late sixties, Ann became a Master Gardener. When funding for the Display Gardens at Rutgers University was cut in 1991, Ann helped form the Friends of the Rutgers Gardens to keep them open. For many years, Ann planned and cultivated several of the garden plots to illustrate important trends in gardening. She was also active in several garden organizations throughout the state. Ann was predeceased by Norman, her husband of 70 years. She is survived by her three children: Cathy Wiss (Chris Schumann), Don Wiss, and Freddie Wiss (Cathy Daley), and by her three grandchildren: Sarah Schumann, Thomas Schumann, and Margaret Wiss. A memorial service for Ann will be held at Christ Church in Short Hills on Saturday, April 23 at 1:00 PM. Masks required. Donations may be made in Ann's name to the Rutgers Foundation (Display Gardens), Maplewood Garden Club, Smith College, and Christ Church in Short Hills.

Published in Star-Ledger from Apr. 14, 2022 to Apr. 17, 2022.