Santiago Balbontin Obituary, Death – A significant member of our community has passed away today. It was announced earlier today that Santiago “Jimmy” Balbontin, who had served as our Chairman, had passed away. That warm smile from Chile that he provided to everyone he met or came in contact with, and a hug that could make all of your problems vanish in an instant. These were the things that he gave to everyone.
His dedication to the Wicklow RNLI, which he shared with his late wife Elizabeth, was always at the forefront of whatever he and his late wife strove to achieve. This is demonstrated by the plethora of prizes that he was bestowed with in recognition of his years of service. As a department that is responsible for fundraising, each and every one of us is beyond consolation.
In addition to his role as chairman of our organization, he was a close friend to each of us. After taking part in the open day at the station over the August Bank Holiday weekend, he continued with it until the bitter end. In the next days, we will all shed tears of genuine emotion; nevertheless, there is some consolation in the knowledge that he is now reunited with the woman he cherished, Elizabeth.
I pray that you, Santiago, will finally find the tranquility you so desperately need, and that you and Elizabeth will be able to sail off into the sunset together. You will remain ingrained in our minds forever.
