Alice M. Gabriel

Surrounded by her family, Alice M. Gabriel died on the evening of April 8, 2023, in Rio Rancho, NM. She was 92.

Alice was born to Aloysius Nicholas and Elsie Oechsner in October, 1930, in Wichita Falls, TX, and graduated from the Academy of Immaculate Mary in 1948. She relocated to Albuquerque, NM, in 1952 where she met her husband-to-be, Robert E. “Bob” Gabriel, while both worked for the accounting firm of Peat Marwick Mitchell & Co.. They married in June, 1954, and together raised four children and enjoyed four grandchildren. While Alice became a busy homemaker, Bob moved into the banking industry, eventually retiring as chief financial officer and senior vice president at First Interstate Bank in 1988. He preceded her death in November, 2018.

Alice was the proverbial Kool-Aid mom, her home becoming the favorite hang-out for friends of her children into their college years. She was the go-to volunteer for scouts, PTA, church auxiliaries, and hospital. She loved sewing, bowling, cooking family meals, and traveling with Bob across the United States, Alaska, parts of Canada, and throughout Germany. Having grown up in the Great Depression years, she wasted nothing. She could still turn cartwheels into her 70s, and mow the lawn and service the swamp cooler on the roof into her 80s. Everyone loved her humor and respected her “strong-willed” character.

She is survived by her daughters Kathryn Gabriel Loving (husband David Loving) and Janet Gabriel of Greater Albuquerque, her sons Robert Randall Gabriel (wife Patricia) and Matthew Gabriel (wife Saundra) of the Denver metro area; her grandchildren Andrew Gabriel, Jessica Gabriel (husband Robert Lefebvre), Kaitlin Gabriel, and Jacob Gabriel, more than a dozen nieces and nephews, and numerous granddogs including Reagan, Trigger, Jackson, and Comet.

She was predeceased by her parents; by all of her siblings, Rose Oechsner, Dorothy Ward, Nick Oechsner, and Judy Peters; and by her sister-in-law, Mary Ann Gabriel.

The family wishes to acknowledge Retreat Villas and Gardens and Hospice de la Luz for their excellent and loving care of “Little Alice” during her final years.

A private service will be held at a later date. In lieu of flowers, please consider donating to your favorite charity.