Dr. Robert (Bob) Michael Balas passed away on Sunday, February 19th at age 88.

Dr. Balas was born on August 19, 1934 in Jersey City, New Jersey to Michael and Anna Grace Drovnak Balas. He lived in New Jersey with his parents and brother Michael until he graduated from Teaneck High School in 1952. After high school, he attended Brown University and graduated in 1956 with a degree in Biology.

After college, Dr. Balas served two years in the Marines where he was stationed around the United States, as well as in Patras, Greece.

In 1958, Dr. Balas left the Marines and headed for New York where he worked as a pharmaceutical salesman for Ayerst Laboratories. Deciding that he could better serve the world by practicing medicine rather than selling it, he enrolled in the Chicago College of Osteopathy in 1962. After four years, he graduated Magna Cum Laude and later earned his board certification in anesthesiology.

Dr. Balas interned in Detroit and then, as an anesthesiologist, passed gas (his words) at Chicago Osteopathic Hospital in Hyde Park. In addition to his hospital duties, he worked in the evenings at a low-income clinic in Cabrini Green. In his spare time, he earned his Private Pilot Certificate, allowing him to have a broader range to hike, fish, and explore nature.

In 1979, Dr. Balas moved to Denver where he began practicing emergency medicine. He earned his board certification in emergency medicine in 1984. He practiced at Humana Hospital (now North Suburban Hospital) in Thornton, Colorado from 1979 to 1988. Alongside his emergency room work, Dr. Balas opened a general medical practice in Thornton.

While living in Denver, he maintained a vacation residence in Vail which allowed him not only to ski frequently but become a part of the Vail community. After closing his general practice in 1988, he became a full-time resident of Vail, practicing in both the Vail Valley and Rifle Emergency Rooms. This allowed him to combine his love of medicine and skiing.

As a skier, there wasn't a run on Vail Mountain he couldn't tame and in grand style. He was as adept at skiing as he was medicine, serving as the "doc on the mountain" at various competitions on Vail Mountain. In addition to being a skilled skier, he was a patient instructor, teaching both his stepsons to ski and appreciate the joys of being on the mountain.

Skiing was only one of Dr. Balas' outdoor passions. He was also an avid fly-fisherman, traveling to Alaska, Montana, Wisconsin, New Mexico, Belize and all over Colorado to be on the river. Closely tied to fishing was his love of camping, hiking, rafting and anything that would get him
closer to nature.

Dr. Balas was known to have fun indoors, as well. A lover of the arts, he collected paintings and could often be seen at the Colorado Opera, Colorado Symphony, and Bravo Vail Music Festival. In addition to appreciating art, he was also a patron. He was proud of his work to help start Opera Colorado and was a significant donor to both the Colorado Symphony Orchestra and Bravo Vail Music Festival. He would travel far and wide to enjoy the arts, regularly attending concerts in San Francisco, Santa Fe, and New York.

Dr. Balas is survived by his wife and partner of over 40 years, Patricia Ayers, his stepsons Matthew Ayers (m. Karrie Sullivan) and Joshua Ayers (m. Lindsey Ayers) and his grand-children Ethan, Cooper, Hudson, and Amelia. He was preceded in death by his parents and brother Michael.

A memorial service will be held in Vail in the spring.

In lieu of flowers, the family suggests contributions to the Alzheimer's Association or the Colorado Symphony Orchestra .