When Bob recently told me that his dear sister Gabi passed away, it made me sorrowful, melancholy. We first met about 70 years ago, but I had not seen or talked with her for about 60 years as our lives followed very different trajectories. However, she had always been on my mind, off and on all these decades. The lack of contact was a big void in my life, however as a teenager I was much too immature to attempt to or even know how to form a close, lasting relationship with a female, although I felt very close to her and was indeed attracted to her. Whether this was reciprocal, I am not sure but suspect not. Nevertheless, there should at least have been some communication maintained during the decades and I blame myself. We first met as late teenagers, in that very big and grand Victorian "Charles Addams" type house in Richmond Hill while I was studying physics together with Bob. Gabi's lovely personal qualities were immediately obvious. Her beauty was in her warmth, simplicity, gentle nature, generosity, her always smiling and being upbeat, and she was someone you could completely trust. Deanna mentioned reasons men were attracted to her- this simply adds to it. But I fear she had a very difficult life from the few things I heard. If so, she indeed did not deserve it, as nobody else should, but especially Gabi.

To the Family of Gabriele A. Von Gutfeld Rosenfeld:

On behalf of the Administration, Faculty and Staff of Queens College, we would like to express our sincere condolences to the family.

May she Rest in Peace,

Gabi is a very loving , kind and beautiful person inside & out. .. Words are not enough how much I am grateful to know & work with her.., We’ve been together for almost 5years.. I really missed her so much..i love you Gabi❤️

What can a brother say about his beloved sister? Gabi was my dearest friend, someone I loved dearly. She was modest , caring and uncritical. I will keenly miss her the rest of my days.

Robert von Gutfeld
  

A sweet and lovely friend from my teenage years.

Gabi was one of the kindest individuals whom I ever met. She was always supportive of what I do and is greatly missed as an aunt and friend.

Gabi and I often discussed our teaching experiences in tutoring for me and assisting in the special education class for her. She had a good rapport with students. Gabi was patient and said she did not get excited, and if something did not go well one day they could always try it again. She had an ability to connect with difficult students, for example one girl who was frequently in and out of class. One day when this student returned from an absence she entered the room and declared, “I want to work with Miss Gabi.” Surely Gabi contributed to improving the literacy level of many former students.
Gabi loved her family, her violin, chocolate and diet Coke, her old VW beetle, and her home at Raintree. She was delighted with the home care assistants who stayed with her, enabling her to remain in her own home in her last years. When we would speak with her and ask how she was, she would reply “We are fine.”  She was very pretty but did not flaunt it. It was almost as if she was not aware of it. Perhaps that is why men were so attracted to her, drawn to the combination of her good looks and amiable personality.
In the last year she got such joy from pictures and videos of our baby grandson. She said he was just “so cute!” (he is). We spoke with her every Sunday, and now we often think of her and miss her and are grateful for the good memories.
  Deanna von Gutfeld