Seymour "Sy" Epstein

AMHERST - Seymour "Sy" Epstein, 91, died peacefully Friday, May 20, 2016, from natural causes, in his Amherst home with family present. He was born and raised in Brooklyn, New York.

After serving in the U.S. Army in France during World War II, Sy finished his bachelor's degree in psychology at Brooklyn College. He earned a doctorate in clinical psychology from the University of Wisconsin in 1953. It was there he met his wife, Alice Hopper, who was completing her master's degree in mathematics. They moved to Amherst, where Sy began his career and they raised their two daughters. Alice and Sy were inseparable until her death in 2013.

Sy was a professor of psychology at the University of Massachusetts from 1953 to 1997. His primary research interest, and greatest professional achievement, was developing a unified theory of personality. His theory is discussed in his book Cognitive-Experiential Theory: An Integrative Theory of Personality. Other research interests were: stress and coping, constructive thinking, and methods in personality research. Sy had over 150 professional publications and authored two additional books, including Constructive Thinking: The Key to Emotional Intelligence.

The National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) supported Dr. Epstein's research for 44 consecutive years. His work was recognized through many awards including the Clarke-Lecky Memorial National Award, four NIMN awards, and the Murray Award for contributions to personality psychology.

Among Sy's greatest joys were the home and pond he and Alice created. While others viewed their purchase of thick woods and marshland as folly, they cut trails, built bridges over woodland brooks, and transformed it into a nature pond with hiking trails. Sy also enjoyed nature photography and was an avid gardener.

Sy leaves his two children, Lisa Epstein and her husband Tom Ginocchio of Brooklyn, New York, as well as Marty Epstein of Park City, Utah and Amherst, and Marty's two children, Casey and Derek Sederman; as well as his faithful dog, Vigor, chosen by Alice from Dakin Animal Shelter.

Donations in Sy's memory can be made to the Kestrel Land Trust, P.O. Box 1016, Amherst, MA 01004 or Dakin Humane Society, P.O. Box 6307, Springfield, MA 01101.

A memorial will be held at a future date.

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