In memory of José Cabañas

On July 26 we woke up to the sad news of the death of José Cabañas who, as his colleagues at the CIB Margarita Salas point out, was a tireless worker, who spared neither time nor effort to do his duty and who stood out for his generosity, dedication and devotion at this Center, which he considered his second home.

José was born in Puerto Llano (Ciudad Real) and later moved with his family to Madrid, where he studied for a vocational training degree. It was 1971 when, at 18, he joined the Center after taking a skills test, a formula used to access technical positions, and began his career at the CIB, first as an interim and later as a civil servant. From the beginning he showed exceptional professionalism and together with other colleagues, he was part of the first Technical Service of the CIB, which was called "La Nasa" because it covered the maintenance and instrumentation needs of the center, in addition to seeking the most ingenious and imaginative solutions to meet the needs of researchers, designing or improving equipment at a time when there were not many economic resources to carry them out.

Over the years he grew in experience and responsibilities, becoming the Head of Maintenance and Facilities that we needed, and coordinating a great team of professionals. He always tried to support his team, earning their respect and friendship, but also that of most of the people at the Center who shared space and time with him in our beloved CIB. José was always one of the mainstays of the Technical Service, both in the old and in the new CIB, forming a team that I called the "A-Team", essential for the proper functioning of the IBC.

Besides enjoying his work, he wanted and boasted about his family, his wife Carmen (also a retired CIB worker), his children and grandchildren, and his great hobby, a vegetable garden near his house that produced wonderful vegetables. Some of us privileged enough to taste them, especially on her birthday, could attest to this, as well as the ham, eggplants, black pudding, and olives from Puerto Llano, a place he always returned to whenever he had a moment to spare.

When he retired in August 2017, he left a void very difficult to fill in the CIB.  His decision very saddened us, but we understood that after 47 years of dedication, he wanted to start a new stage enjoying more of his large family and especially his grandchildren.

After a long battle against cancer, against which he never gave up and with which he kept fighting until the end, he has gone too soon. He was only 71 years old, but he has left an indelible mark both on his family and among all his colleagues and friends. Those who were lucky enough to know him will always remember him.

María Jesús Martínez