Barbosa was born as Rosa Maria Scapol in Botucatu, São Paulo, Brazil, on 26 May 1902 (claimed 28 May). Her parents were Luiz Scapol and Victalina Galvani, both Italian immigrants. Her parents worked on a coffee plantation. Her mother died when she was four years old. She lived in Rio de Janeiro for some time.

At some point, she got married and had four children. Her husband worked at the Post Office, and she sewed to support the family. She also worked as a clerk at the City Hall of Botucatu. In 1961, she retired and moved to Sorocaba afterwards. After her husband’s death in 1973, she decided to volunteer at the Maria Claro nursery school.

Barbosa passed away in Sorocaba, São Paulo, Brazil, on 4 May 2015, at the age of 112. She was survived by two children (Lúcia, aged 89, and Walter, aged 81), ten grandchildren, 16 great-grandchildren and eight great-great-grandchildren.