Paul Ingersoll, 83, civic leader

Paul M. Ingersoll, 83, of Bryn Mawr, the Philadelphia regional representative for the auction firm Christie's for three decades and a former board member of the Philadelphia Museum of Art, died of respiratory failure Monday, Jan. 2, at Kindred Hospital in Havertown.

A daughter, Francie Ingersoll-Taylor, said Monday that Mr. Ingersoll opened the Christie's office in Bryn Mawr in 1979 and retired four years ago, but continued "to bring business to Christie's until he died."

Marc Porter, president of Christie's Americas, said in a statement Monday that "we are deeply saddened by the loss of our dear friend and colleague Paul Ingersoll."

"Paul was an inspiration to several generations of Christie's employees and was widely regarded for his decency, as well as the heartening nature of his leadership. "His contribution to Christie's and the cultural community at large were immeasurable, and we will miss him dearly."

Timothy Rub, director and chief executive officer of the Philadelphia Museum of Art, wrote in an e-mail Monday that "his spirit of public service and philanthropy were nurtured in him at an early age, and so much of Paul's life was devoted to education, health care, and the arts.

"His love for the museum was also informed by a love for the city of Philadelphia."

The Ingersoll family shared an e-mail appreciation of Mr. Ingersoll sent by the Art Museum to its board members, noting his service as one of them from 1962 to 1983.

Mr. Ingersoll, it stated, "was a tireless advocate of this institution and championed it in many ways, perhaps most notably as a founder of the Museum Friends, as well as inaugural cochair, with Lee Annenberg, of the Associates program.

"Both groups have proven to be vital not only in generating revenue to support our operating budget but also, and more importantly, in helping us to engage and cultivate generations of committee supporters. He was also instrumental in the museum's purchase of the large Alexander Calder mobile, Ghost (1964), that hangs in the Great Stair Hall."

Ingersoll-Taylor said that her father's "philosophy in life was service and being involved in the community."

"Anybody who needed a job, they would call Dad and say, 'Is there anybody you can talk to?' The majority of the time, he had a talent for putting the right people together."

She noted that her father "was known for his great sense of humor, kindness, and genuine interest in others, as well as his strong love of family and friends."

Mr. Ingersoll's wife, Mimi, said in the same Monday interview that he was notably proud of being a board member of the Haverford Trust Co. for 20 years, and a board member of Bryn Mawr Hospital.

Bridget G. Therriault, spokeswoman for Bryn Mawr Hospital, said Monday that "Mr. Ingersoll played pivotal roles in the 1994 emergency department [fund-raising] campaign, serving as chair for the campaign and of the volunteer leadership committee. We will forever be touched by the leadership, service, and wonderful outgoing spirit of Mr. Ingersoll."

Mr. Ingersoll's wife noted that "he was on the board of trustees for Drexel University for 18 years," the school "founded by his great-grandfather, Anthony J. Drexel."

And he was a board member of the Children's Aid Society, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, and the William Penn Foundation.

Born in Philadelphia, Mr. Ingersoll attended Episcopal Academy, graduated from St. Paul's School in Concord, N.H., and earned his bachelor's degree at Princeton University in 1950, where he was a member of the Ivy Club.

After serving as an artillery officer in West Germany, Mr. Ingersoll became an agent for Penn Mutual Life Insurance Co. and rose to assistant to the president before joining Provident National Bank as an assistant vice president in 1963. He was the bank's president for six years in the 1970s.

Newspaper reports stated that he and Provident National earned the American Jewish Committee's 1973 Human Relations Award and that he was chairman of the 1975 Police Athletic League Awards dinner, at what was then the Bellevue Stratford hotel.

Besides several directorships and trusteeships, he was president of the Beaver Management Co., a metallurgical coal company in Beckley, W. Va.

He was a member of the Antique Toy Collectors of America and the Merion Cricket Club.

And, his wife said, for more than 50 years he was a member of State in Schuylkill, started in 1732, a men's club now in Bensalem, and of the Rabbit, a men's eating club in Bala Cynwyd.

Besides his wife and daughter Francie, Mr. Ingersoll is survived by daughters Lea Sylvestro and Rita Ingersoll, a brother, three sisters, and four grandchildren.

A memorial service was set for 11 a.m. Saturday, Jan. 14, at the Church of the Redeemer, Pennswood and New Gulph Roads, Bryn Mawr. Burial is to be private.

Memorial contributions may be made to Bryn Mawr Hospital, 130 S. Bryn Mawr Ave., Bryn Mawr, Pa. 19010.