Robert I. Ballinger III, 68, died after a lengthy battle with cancer on April 30. He was as vibrant and colorful in life as he was courageous in death.

He was born on January 12, 1944, in Bryn Mawr to the late Robert I. Ballinger Jr, a principal in the Ballinger Company of Philadelphia and long term-resident of Palm Beach, Fla., and Elizabeth Mulford Ballinger of Philadelphia. He had a very strong devotion to family and friends and is survived by his sister Elizabeth (Wendy) Ballinger Oram, his beloved nephews James Marshall Oram and Brook Ballinger Oram and his grandnephews James Braiden Oram and Finnigan Ballinger Oram. He is also survived by his longtime friend and companion Paul L. Starcheski.

Consumed by an enduring passion for history, Robert followed a career in antiques. As a preeminent local expert on English antiques, he spent his professional life as a dealer and advisor to collectors and antiques enthusiasts. For more than 35 years, he worked for Alfred Bullard Inc of Philadelphia, one of the premier English antiques dealers in the United States and one of the oldest exhibitors at the Philadelphia and New York Winter Antiques Shows.

He was an avid student and reader of European history and a lifelong supporter of the arts, music, the Horticultural Society, the Philadelphia Zoo and was a member of the Philadelphia Atheneum.

Relatives and friends gathered for a memorial service in the old church at Saint David’s Episcopal Church on May 9.

Memorial donations may be made to the Jefferson Foundation, c/o Jefferson Hospital, 925 Chestnut Street, Philadelphia PA 19107. Please make check payable to Jefferson University Hospital and note that it is for the Dr Matthew J. Killion Fund for Cancer Research.