Jacob M. 'Jay' Epstein

Jacob M. ‘Jay’ Epstein

Jacob M. “Jay” Epstein, 83, died Oct. 2, 2019 at his residence north of Bonners Ferry, Idaho. He was born in the Bronx borough of New York, N.Y., on Dec. 5, 1939 to Jacob and Constance Epstein and was raised and educated at Pelham, N.Y. Jay received his bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering from the University of Virginia and his master’s degree from Babson College in Massachusetts.

He married Mary Ruth Ryan on July 9, 1960 in Hackensack, N.J. They had resided in Harvard, Mass., and later in Thousand Oaks, Calif., where he had worked as an electrical engineer for Raytheon, Honeywell and later Hughes Aircraft until his retirement. He and Mary came to the Bonners Ferry area in 1994 where they enjoyed life at their retirement home near Copeland, where they worked in conjunction with the Forest Service in replanting seedling trees on their property. Mary preceded him in death in 2003.

He is survived by their three children, Susan Justus and husband Charlie of Caldwell, Idaho, Jacob Epstein and wife Sonia of Hansville, Wash., and David Epstein and wife Michele of Howell, Mich.; and three grandchildren, Ryan and Jeremy Justus and Gabrielle Epstein. Jay and Mary were also preceded in death by an infant daughter Sara.

One of Jay’s passions was to honor Mary’s efforts, while she herself was ill, in assisting others suffering through advanced cancer by establishing the Reach To Recovery Award to honor others who continue to give selflessly in like manner.