Robert Gill Walker, age 89, died on Nov. 5 of complications from emphysema in Hightstown, N.J. He was 89 and was a longtime resident of Prince-ton, N.J. and Chilmark. He loved the months he spent at his summer house overlooking Menemsha Pond.

He was born and raised in Meadville, Pa., a city founded by his ancestor, David Mead, and where his grandfather, Lewis Walker started what became Talon Inc., the first company in the world to develop the zipper.

He graduated from The Taft School and Princeton University, Phi Beta Kappa, class of 1941. At Princeton, he was a member of Cottage Club and the Triangle Shows of 1938 and 1939. During World War II he served in the U.S. Naval Reserve on the USS Langley. He went to Yale Law School and joined Reed, Smith, Shaw & McClay of Pittsburgh. In 1952, he was employed by the Intelligence Bureau of the Department of State and then entered the U.S. Foreign Service, serving from 1957 to 1966 in U.S. Embassies in Brazil, Argentina and Chile. He served on the boards of the Green Acres School, Nido de Aguilas School in Santiago and the Washington International School.

He is survived by his wife of 60 years, Barbara Martin Walker; his children, Mead, Polly, Tertius Gill, Martin, Nicholas and Jennet; 12 grandchildren and six great-grandchildren.

In addition to a memorial service that took place in Princeton, N.J., on Friday, Nov. 14, next year there will be an interment and service in Chilmark.

Donations in his memory may be made to The World Federalist Movement and The Washington International School (Washington, D.C.).