Today, Rosa Lee Gabe would have been 70. A year ago, at 68, she passed away after many serious illnesses. It was unexpected and left us devastated. We thought she had a little more time.

From the stories she had told me, at only 13, Rosa had run away, staying with friends she met on the road. Eventually, she was placed in foster homes until she was able to live on her own.

She was well known for feeding the 9th Street Cats in Troy, NY. Sadly, her last cat, Squiggles will miss her. I will take care of her and the two young ferals, Graycee and Belle, she was caring for at the time. Jazz helps me with feeding them. Her indoor pets, Pirate Baby, JD, and Minnie were re-homed by great local rescues.

Rosa was part Sioux on her father’s side. She loved her father dearly and he was her last remaining close relative. She attended Pow Wows every year. She sold some bracelets and other crafts she made. Her father, at 97, an honored Vet, Robert Eugene Gabe, passed on May 16th, 2023, only 50 days after her. Valatie, NY, was his hometown. We sent him a book he had loaned her and included a letter of her love for him. Her mother was Mary Geraldine Murphy and possibly of Irish heritage. She had passed in 2015. She also had a sister who had also passed, Laurie.

Rosa was a 70's child and traveled around America. She followed bands, boyfriends, and friends. One boyfriend was the love of her life and it was reflected by the many cards she had received from him over the years. She left many memory patches and ticket stubs of those travels and autographs by some.

Rosa loved all animals but cats were her favorite. Decades ago, she had a cat that saved her life. The cat kept smashing her head against her breasts. Rosa decided to get a check-up. She had breast cancer and survived it. After that, Rosa fed every cat that was outside hungry. She rescued many kittens and took in a few over the years. She wrote stories about them.

Rosa kept journals and wrote about everything, from bad neighbors to cats and events. I had not known that about her. I had not known that she kept most of the cards and gifts, CDs and books, memories from a time when she had nothing. She would have been surprised to see how many people showed up for her.

She probably wrote about the few spiffs we had over the 6-7 years we lived on the same street. I first met her while she was feeding cats in the field across the street. I wanted connections with other cat-caring people. Unfortunately, we had not gotten along for a long time. When we finally did, it was too late. She knew that a year before she left us, we hashed over our issues.

We shared the love of Bold and The Beautiful, a fun soap opera. I will never forget that her last show on earth was when Sheila and ‘Dollar’ Bill got together. Bet she’s laughing at the outcome.

We cleaned her place, donated everything we could, and kept some of her stuff for memories. I am sure her father loved receiving the Native American book he had loaned her. We included a letter of love Rosa had written him. I kept all her cat stuff. I know she would have wanted that. It was a sad period in our lives. We miss her terribly.

Her friends in heart and memory,

Rose Lisboa

Jasmine DAiuto