Salem Hospital Mourns Loss Of Benefactor, Longtime Marblehead Resident Arthur Epstein

SALEM, MA — The Salem Hosptial community is mourning the loss of longtime benefactor Arthur Epstein, whose philanthropy helped establish the 120-bed Epstein Center for Behavioral Health at Salem Hospital in memory of his late wife, Eunice, who suffered from bipolar disorder. He was 86.

Epstein and his wife married in 1958 and lived in Peabody before settling in Marblehead. In 2017, the Cohen Hillel Academy in Marblehead was renamed the Epstein Hillel School in recognition of his very generous gift.

Epstein donated $5 million to establish the behavioral health center in Salem for adults, children and seniors, which stood as the largest inpatient psychiatry service embedded in an acute care hospital in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.

"Arthur embodied the very best of men, giving so generously of his time, warmth and resources," Salem Hospital President and Chief Executive Officer Roxanne Ruppel said in a statement. "His support for mental health services in this community has been transformational and is saving lives and comforting families every day of the year."

The project was designed to help ensure that the primary entry point to Salem Hospital supports patients and families with a welcoming experience and important amenities.

"Arthur Epstein is an incredible man and we are so grateful for his generosity," former Salem Hospital President David J. Roberts said at the time of the donation. "His support has been transformative for our organization and will enable us to address a critical need for a welcoming and accommodating reception space for patients and families."

Epstein, who later lived in Brookline before moving to Florida, made his first major gift to the North Shore Medical Center in 2002, followed in 2007 by a $1 million donation in support of the Mass General/North Shore Center for Outpatient Care in Danvers.

Epstein was a supporter of many nonprofit organizations, including Boston Children's Hospital, The Crohn's & Colitis Foundation, Massachusetts General Hospital, Combined Jewish Philanthropies and Congregation Shirat Hayam in Swampscott.

(Scott Souza is a Patch field editor covering Beverly, Danvers, Marblehead, Peabody, Salem and Swampscott. He can be reached at Scott.Souza@Patch.com. Twitter: @Scott_Souza.)