Rosie Borges

Rosie Borges, known by most in South Lake Tahoe as Mrs. Rosie, passed away in her sleep on Dec. 24, 2016. She was 87.

She was born Rosie Perreira Luis in Kings County, Cali., July 10, 1929. While growing up in Stratford, Calif., she had memories of hand milking cows with her seven siblings every morning and every afternoon. She left the farm, and gladly the milking chore, when her father, Franklin, passed in 1933.

Rosie graduated Lemoore High School in 1949 as the top female student of the year. She played lead trumpet in the marching band. At 5-feet-4-inches-tall, she was the female basketball player of the year.

In 1949, Rosie and Sam Borges were married in Las Vegas. Early in her marriage Rosie worked as a nurse in Lemoore, Calif. She continued her athletic prowess in city league fast pitch softball until she rushed home plate while six months pregnant with Don.

In 1955 the Borges family moved to San Jose. Sam sold tractors for Allis Chalmers and Rosie worked as a Crossing Guard for San Jose Unified School District. On weekends they competed in waterski speed racing. Rosie was a United States National Champion speed water skier in the early 1960s.

A family business of cutting cord wood allowed the growing family to save up to move to Tahoe. In about 1959 Sam designed and built a wood splitter that would process a standing tree to stacked cord in the truck in one hour. Using his boys as labor and Rosie as the splitter operator, the family averaged 200 cords of wood/year, split, delivered and stacked for $36.36/cord. 

A family business of cutting cord wood allowed the growing family to save up to move to Tahoe. In about 1959 Sam designed and built a wood splitter that would process a standing tree to stacked cord in the truck in one hour. Using his boys as labor and Rosie as the splitter operator, the family averaged 200 cords of wood/year, split, delivered and stacked for $36.36/cord.

The Borges family happily made the move to Lake Tahoe, the “All Year Playground” in 1965. Rosie operated Rosie’s Waterski School in the summer and worked with Sam and their sons at Borges Sleigh Rides in the winter.

“Miss Rosie” was the Crossing Guard for the Lake Tahoe Unified School District and the city of South Lake Tahoe. For 20 years, with a perfect record of no student injuries, she safely crossed students at the intersection of Lyons Avenue and Lake Tahoe Boulevard. She also attended South Tahoe High School Viking sports for 50 years.

After retiring, Rosie enjoyed many years of daily water aerobics exercises with the “Tahoe Keys Ladies.”

Sam and Rosie were both first generation Americans. They traveled to the Portugal mainland where Sam found his father and with niece Kathleen. They were able to locate and visit her family in the Azores Islands.

Rosie leaves four sons Dean, Don, David and Dwight, many grandchildren and great-grandchildren. She will be greatly missed by all who knew and loved her.

The celebration of life will be celebrated privately with family.

In lieu of flowers or gifts, please light a candle and celebrate the wonderful life and example Rosie left to her family and our community.

If you have a “Miss Rosie” story, please comment below.