HILARY BALLON

I had her as a professor of art history at Columbia University almost 40 years ago but her presence is still with me. Her incredible passion for her subject, her incredible professionalism, and her love to teach was inspiring. What a great loss .... She had so much more she could´ve done. Even though I had not seen her since I left Columbia in 1989 I always read about her incredible achievements. I became an eye surgeon, but the interest in art history remains in me whenever I visit museums...

she was one of my professors at Columbia for art history back in the late 80s. Such a brilliant and inspirational teacher, I was very saddened to hear of her passing a few years ago. She is one of those people that have a profound impact on one´s life and so sad to lose such a brilliant person at such a young age. My condolences to her family. She will always be remembered for her brilliance, and, love of academia. Dr. Tony Vinals

I found out about the passing of Prof. Hillary Ballon, during my 30th college reunion at Columbia University last spring. I was shocked to hear this, because I remember her as one of the best and most vibrant teachers I ever had. I have thought about her continuously since graduating from college, and despite becoming a doctor and going on to Yale medical school, my time as an art history minor at Columbia, and her classes in particular or one of the highlights of my life. I am certain that...

I met Hilary and contributed to the Robert Moses conference and book that she organized and edited with Kenneth Jackson in 2007. She was young, energetic, insightful, and very anxious to involve scholars from outside the Manhattan Circle. Based upstate, I didn't even learn of her passing till early 2000. I'm still shocked at how someone with so much life and enthusiasm could no longer be with us. She is sorely and sadly missed.

Hilary and I met once in 2017 when I delivered a painting to her house. The way she appreciated the artwork, despite her illness, really stuck with me. A lot of people just look at their art, but she was really seeing it. I'm sorry she's gone.

I have been out of touch with MIT for a while, so only belatedly found out about Hilary's death.

Hilary was my TA for an Ancient Architecture class at MIT in the early 1980's and then, years later, taught my daughter at Columbia. We were so privileged to have her as an instructor for two generations. In addition to her intellectual scholarship, Hilary knew how to connect with students and confidently injected elements of humor into her teaching. When discussing Minoan...

I knew Hilary at Princeton in the mid-70s. She was a wonderful wonderful person. We lost touch but I've never forgotten her; nor will I ever. I was shocked and saddened to learn of her death and moved by all the tributes she received. Here's a lesson to be learned: If there's someone from your past whom you admired but with whom you've lost touch... get BACK in touch.
My heartfelt and deepest condolences to the entire family.

I knew Hilary Ballon through my brother Mark Jarzombek who was a fellow Ph.D. Student at MIT. She had a magnetic personality that lit up a room and was obviously a brilliant scholar as well. I just heard of her death. What a tragedy to her family and colleagues.

I was so saddened to hear about the passing of the brilliant Hilary Ballon. Prof. Ballon delivered an inspirational lecture to the Columbia University Club of Philadelphia over a decade ago, and our Club members still talk about her amazing presentation on the original Penn Station in New York. Prof. Ballon was so gracious to the Columbia alunmni/ae in our region. She was charming, friendly, engaging, and of course, an intellectual tour de force. I stayed in touch with her for several...