Rosemary Caba, Died 2009

CABA

Posted By: Connie Swearingen (email)
Date: 7/17/2020 at 22:07:42

Sioux City Journal
3 February 2009

SIOUX CITY -- Rosemary Caba, 84, formerly of Sioux City, artist, registered nurse and lifelong ardent Catholic, died Jan. 9, 2009, at Sarah House Hospice in Santa Barbara, Calif., after an illness of a few weeks.

Memorial services will be Saturday, Feb. 14, in Santa Barbara.

Never married, Ms. Caba was deeply involved with her nieces and nephews, who nicknamed her "Roni". She paid for piano lessons, dance lessons and one Halloween, was elbow deep in the production of papier mache masks. "I was an owl", recalled niece, Jean Johnson of Sioux City.

Rosemary and her twin brother, the late Gerald Caba, were the first children of four born in Sioux City to Joseph and Agnes M. Caba. The only surviving sibling is Joanne Donohue also of Santa Barbara. The youngest, the late James R. Caba, was the first to move to Santa Barbara, followed some years later by his mother, sisters and for a short time his brother.

When her plans to join the convent did not materialize, she entered the St. Joseph School of Nursing in Sioux City and earned her registered nursing degree. It was a vocation she pursued the rest of her life, beginning as a nurse in a physician's office. She worked for many years in hospitals in Iowa, Missouri and California. She only completely retired last year, having worked for several Santa Barbara nursing homes as a nurse supervisor.

The church and missionary Catholicism were her great passions. Most recently, she belonged to the congregation of San Roque Catholic Church. For years, she donated most of her discretionary income to various mission aboard. One Easter, she created enormous banners celebrating the resurrection of Christ for her parish. In the last few years, she delivered communion at home to those who couldn't travel.

A meticulous seamstress, she repaired vestments for priests, even when advancing glaucoma made that task more difficult. Her sewing machine was on her dining room table when she died.

Perhaps the most under appreciated aspect of her life was her artistry. It showed itself in everything she did. Her first employer, the late Dr. Joe Krigsten of Sioux City, displayed her paintings in his waiting room. A nephew had one of them hanging in his Nebraska home.

In addition to her sister, she is survived by her nieces and nephews, John Donohue of Santa Barbara, Deborah Donohue Wills of Santa Barbara, Dennis Donohue of Roseville, Calif., James Donohue of El Dorado Hills, Calif., Mary Donohue of Bend, Ore., and Callan Loessberg of Cottage Grove, Ore., all children of Joanne Donohue and her former husband, the late Jack Donohue; James Richard Caba of Hastings, Neb., Jean Caba Johnson of Sioux City and Jeffery Joseph Caba of McCook Lake, S.D., the children of the late Gerald Caba and his wife, Frances of Sioux City; and the children of the late James R. Caba and his wife, Eileen of Santa Barbara are Susan Caba of St. Louis, Mo., Celia Caba, Mary Caba and Joseph Caba, all of Santa Barbara, Gerald J. Caba and David Caba of Lompoc, Calif., and James A. Caba of Kaohsiung, Taiwan.

Donations in lieu of flowers can be made to Sarah House, in appreciation of the wonderful care and comfort the hospice provided for Ms. Caba during her final weeks. The address is Sarah House, P.O. Box 20031, Santa Barbara, CA. 93120.