Toddeen M. Saba

Voorheesville – Toddeen “Tina” M. Saba, devoted wife of 67 years, mother, grandmother, great grandmother, died peacefully on Friday, November 28 at the age of 89. Tina was born in Johnson City, NY amidst the Great Depression. The daughter of George and Margaret Kishpaugh, she was a creative child with a love of animals and nature. As a teenager, Tina had a pet monkey named Kim. Tina graduated from Johnson City High School in 1954 and soon began working at IBM. She was a quick study as a stenographer, typing 92 words a minute.

Tina met George H. Saba in November 1955 when he and his brother Eddie crashed their sister Ruthie’s bridal shower where Tina was a guest. As Tina was leaving, everyone insisted that George drive her safely home in the snow. After several months of dating, Tina and George married on April 21, 1956. Within a few years, they had two sons. Tina was a dedicated mother, homemaker, and member of the community. After relocating to the capital district, she worked at Voorheesville High School supporting local education. She later worked for the Five Rivers Environmental Education Center in Albany County among fellow nature enthusiasts.

Tina was a multitalented artist and crafter, with a particular gift for fiber artistry. She was an accomplished seamstress, knitter, crocheter, and cro-hooker, known to gift family and friends precious items, including her handmade teddy bears. She was an avid quilter and frequenter of the nimble fingers quilting group in her later years. As a lifelong painter and poet, she was often moved to commemorate special occasions with her art. Her early interest in computers often supported her love of the arts, allowing her to turn her poems into cards or digital graphics. Tina kept meticulous family records, both online and in short biographies she created to document family research and genealogies.

Tina spent many years with her family camping in Onchiota and eventually designed and built two family homes on Rainbow Lake in the Adirondacks. She enjoyed taking walks in the woods to observe flora and fauna, identify animal tracks, and find inspiration. She was a supporter of Paul Smith’s VIC and spent many afternoons at the Breck Chapin Memorial Native Species Butterfly House. She enjoyed living on the water and boating with her family, despite never learning to swim. She became an avid birdwatcher, observing the loons, osprey, and particularly the hummingbirds, which she loved to feed throughout the summer. In the colder months, Tina and George loved to travel across the US in their RV visiting friends and exploring national parks. She always rode shotgun and served as the primary navigator for their expeditions. She often returned home with new skills or crafts from their travels as well as games. She was particularly fond of cards and dominos following family dinner.

Tina M. Saba was proceeded in death by her loving husband George. She is survived by her loving children Jeffery (Lori) and Joseph, granddaughters Kaitlin Zuber (Dan), Alix, Cade, and Kelsey Munsell (Paul), and great granddaughters Hayden and Harper.