LAS VEGAS, NV - John Stuart Kubota passed away suddenly on April 26, 2026 at 74 years old. The cause was a ruptured aorta.

John was born in Riverdale, Maryland on February 21, 1952. In 1954, his family moved to Ithaca, New York, where John grew up. Hockey was a community favorite in Ithaca, and John was a talented athlete who loved hockey from a young age. He remained an avid hockey fan throughout his life.

After graduating high school, John spent a gap year in Sweden as a Rotary Exchange student. He treasured this experience and spoke fondly of his time abroad. John then attended Cornell University School of Engineering and joined the Chi Psi fraternity. His college years gave rise to lifelong friendships, which he valued dearly.

He graduated from Cornell University in 1975 and was awarded a full scholarship to a master's degree program at his father's alma mater, UC Berkeley. While at Berkeley, John forged relationships with his father's extended family in California with whom he had had limited contact growing up.

After receiving his master's degree from UC Berkeley in 1977, John spent several years working for a large international engineering firm at locations across the US. In time, he moved to Greeley, CO to work for a small, local business before going into business for himself. John loved living in Colorado and built a house overlooking a bird sanctuary, doing most of the construction himself.

John later moved to Las Vegas, NV to take advantage of the opportunities of the construction economy there. He started Kubota and Associates Engineering, where he worked for the remainder of his career. He was beloved and respected by his fellow professionals and staff at Kubota and Associates. John scrupulously provided generous employment benefits to his employees, recalling his own experience without them.

In Las Vegas, John married Regina Pierce, whom he met when she worked as a civil engineer for Kubota and Associates. John and Regina had three children together, who became the center of John's life.

John will be remembered as a kind soul, a beloved family member, and a treasured friend to many. He was known in the community and by his friends for his love of politics, economics, hockey, and nature. When he had the opportunity to help someone, he did so. In the last months of his life, he noticed a group of homeless people living in a parking lot near his home. John began bringing them food and hiring them to do simple chores in his yard. When asked why he did this, he said simply, "They were trying." Honoring their effort, John resolved to help them, asking nothing in return.

John was an amazing uncle, famous among his nieces and nephews for epic tickle sessions and playing Batman with them for hours. Most of all, John was an amazing father. He steadfastly supported his children in all of their activities and interests. They will always remember his dedication to both work and naps, to the tiny gang of street cats he cared for, and for making the best Saturday morning pancakes.

John is survived by his wife, Regina Pierce of Las Vegas, Nevada and his children, Shallan (Yae), Meaghan and Grier Kubota; his brother Robert (Bob) Kubota and sister-in-law Karen Kubota of Lowell, Ohio and sister Carolyn Kubota and brother-in-law James Sanders of Los Angeles, California, as well as nieces and nephews Emily Kubota, Katherine Kubota, Allison

McCarty, Dr. Elizabeth Kubota-Mishra and Laura and Jack Sanders. John's parents, Joe and Mildred Kubota pre-deceased him, as did his brother Randy who passed away in 2020.

Because John's daughters are currently living in Japan, the family will hold a celebration of John's life during Labor Day weekend when they are able to return to the U.S. to participate. John is and will be sorely missed.