Winnie Balboni — a longtime Westporter, whose eye for Westport’s beauty was matched only by her enthusiasm for it — died September 24. She was 101.
Hope Hageman offers this obituary:
Born in Closter, New Jersey on April 16, 1923, Winnie was educated at the American International College in Springfield, Massachusetts. Shortly thereafter she married US Air Force Major Chester George Williams, and gave birth to sons Jeffrey, John and Jason.
She and Major Williams divorced in 1954. He died two years later.
For a time she was a single parent, living with her parents in Springfield.
Winnie married Anthony “Tony” Balboni, a pilot for United Airlines, in 1956, the year that she moved to Westport.
She soon became a mainstay of the Westport Garden Club. She played a major role in the effort to transform landfill on Imperial Avenue into Grace Salmon Park, including persuading the town to fund it.
Winnie Balboni at Grace Salmon Park.
She was the long-time editor of the Garden Club newsletter, and a tireless volunteer in the organization’s many projects. In 2006 she received an award from the Federated Garden Clubs of Connecticut for her work.
She established Westport’s first Tree Board, which she served on for many years.
One of Winnie’s favorite spots was Sherwood Island State Park. Through her friendship with the park superintendent, forged during her afternoon rambles there, she learned that Connecticut ranked 50th in the nation in per capita expenditure on state parks.
With guidance from the Friends of Connecticut State Parks, Winnie formed a board of directors, developed a mission statement and by-laws, and almost singlehandedly founded the Friends of Sherwood Island.
A vibrant non-profit today, it has provided many enhancements over the past 25 years.
Winnie Balboni (far left) with her 2006 Connecticut Federated Garden Clubs award. (Photo courtesy of “A History of the Westport Garden Club 1924-2014,” by Louise Demakis)
In her mid-60s Winnie joined the Westport League of Woman Voters, and quickly became a board member. She organized the group’s first Memorial Day parade marchers. The sashes and suffragist outfits worn in the parade are lasting reminders of Winnie’s vision.
Her obituary calls Winnie “funny and feisty, generous to a fault, endlessly energetic, always curious and fiercely outspoken.
“She was an outdoorswoman, a tireless volunteer, a quilter, a seamstress, a mentor, a leader who believed that homemade baked goods were key to a successful and well-attended meeting.
“She hiked the Appalachian Trail in manageable portions whenever she could, she started the Jolly Gardeners to engage youngsters in outdoor work, she wrote letters regularly to every friend she ever had, she was committed to mental health advocacy and research at both state and local levels, she was a presence, and not always a silent one, at innumerable yown meetings.
Winnie Balboni, with a cloth bag. In 2008, before Westport’s Representative Town Meeting voted to ban the use of plastic bags — the first municipality east of the Mississippi River to do so — 85-year-old Winnie made a ringing speech urging it to do so.
“But her true and larger legacy now lies in the hearts and memories of countless friends who were fortunate enough to experience her warmth, humor and generosity at close range.”
Winnie was predeceased by her son Jeffrey, in 2007. She is survived by her sons Jason Williams of Cambridge, Massachusetts and John Williams of Richmond, Virginia, her devoted caregivers for the past 5 years; John’s wife Pamela Susan King, and “an incredibly long list of good friends.”
(Click here for an “06880” story, honoring Winnie Balboni on her 100th birthday.)
Super lady. She lived just down from us on Cross Highway @ the corner of Roseville. My father would stroll down there and they were like two peas in a pod, yapping up a storm on gardening. I think?
Winnie was a force of nature and always so welcoming to us when we’d stop by, spur of the moment, to just check in. She was as gracious hosting The Shadows for baby rock band practice in the 1960’s as she was hosting at the gathering for her 100th. She will be greatly missed.
Winnie livened up the brown bag luncheons‼️😪
I will never forget the curiosity for life and the sincere interest Winnie maintained as witnessed in my last visit as she lay in her hospital bed. Frail as she was I was amazed by the utter powerful joy of her smile that filled the room. This was a gift that will always stay with me. Winnie lead a noble life and died nobly as well. The support of her sons Jason. and John and the dedicated care takers are a testimony to how this transition is LOVE in the highest order.
Winnie is my mom. Most of the time I speak of her in the present tense. I’m Jason Williams her third kid.
Dan, thank you so much for publishing this.
However, something important is missing.
This literary endeavor was created by Hope Hageman, with minor contributions by John and I, The middle and younger of Winifred‘s children. Dan, please give credit where credit is due. Hope, you are incredible, and thank you tremendously..
Haiku
I thought You had left
But here you are, still smiling.
You have always known me.
Verses
I am so worn out now.
Emotions come like waves, Suddenly
And then, emotions Leave.
Grief moved into our house, uninvited
My best friend isn’t here anymore
Jason Peter Williams 2024
Such sorrowful and poignant poems from the heart. Thank you for sharing them with the world.
Winnie’s smile, wit and kindness is what made her the most welcoming greeter you’d ever want at the Westport Historical Society. She inspired us all with her sweet smile and incredible take on life. Grateful to have known her and to remember her as someone who lived her life with joy and grace.
Winnie was a one-off. We were never close, but that didn’t stop her from spontaneously gifting me with a cloth Christmas star that she had run up that morning on her sewing machine or suddenly appearing on my back porch with a plate of home-baked cookies on a plate decorated with a ‘50s Coke commercial (which must have reminded her of her younger days!) Or…she would announce that native Cinnamon ferns were to be found just off North Avenue or the golf course was being redone and platycodon were to be rescued there. And then there was the time that she realized the trees along the river in Parker Harding were looking shaggy. She recruited a bunch of us to do the pruning on a Sunday and made special arrangements with her pals in DPW so we could leave the efforts of our work at the brush pile when it was closed. I could go on and on as anyone else who knew her could. She was everywhere and knew everyone and Westport is a poorer place with her passing.
K , Jason and everyone else
What a beautiful story about an incredible selfless person
Who contributed so much to everyone
So thankful to people who are about giving their time to others
And making the world a better place
To many people about greed especially these days
God bless Winnie and everything she’s done to make the world a better place