An Angus woman who was made an MBE for outstanding contributions to her home town has died peacefully. She was 96.
Rosina Ballentine, nee Giacopazzi, was born to John and Margaret in Murray Street, Montrose on November 4 1919.
Following education at Montrose Academy, Mrs Ballentine trained as a nurse in Shropshire in 1938 and married RAF corporal John, known as Paddy, on March 25 1940 at St Margaret’s RC Church.
Mrs Ballentine worked in nursing and devoted much of her life to the care of others in Montrose, and was a founding volunteer of the Day Care Centre, now the Adam Centre, serving on its management committee.
Mrs Ballentine was made an MBE for charity work in 2009 and was also recognised by Rotary as the town’s citizen of the year.
Her other voluntary roles included the post of membership secretary of the Friends of Sunnyside Royal Hospital and Montrose Royal Infirmary, along with organising events for charitable causes including Christmas shoebox appeals for the Blytheswood Trust, coffee mornings and lunches for Macmillan Cancer Care, and Rachel House.
Mrs Ballentine was a member and past secretary of Montrose Churches Together, and Eucharistic Minister at St Margaret’s.
Mrs Ballentine is survived by son John, daughters Sister Rosemary Catherine and Carol, eight grandchildren, 16 great-grandchildren and three great-great-grandchildren.
She was being cared for by her daughter Carol and family in Gloucestershire, and passed away on April 12.
A Reception of Remains will be held at St Margaret’s on Thursday at 4pm, a Requiem Mass on Friday at 1pm, and interment thereafter at Sleepyhillock Cemetery, to which friends and family are invited.
Donations in lieu of flowers can be made to the Adam Centre.
