Edward Louis Epstein

Edward Louis Epstein
Jan. 10, 1936 - Oct. 7, 2021
Edward Epstein died Oct. 7, 2021 after a long illness. He was beloved by his family, his friends, colleagues, and many others he met along the way. He was revered by those who had the opportunity to experience his intellect, insight, and integrity. Ed was born Jan. 10, 1936 in Walla Walla, Wash., to Louis and Marie Epstein. He had two siblings, his elder sister June Hunter and his younger sister Sally Houk. Referred to as Eddie throughout his childhood and education, Ed attended Walla Walla High School where he played varsity basketball, was elected as senior class president, and graduated class co-valedictorian in 1954. Growing up in Walla Walla, Ed assisted in the family's farming operations, which produced wheat, alfalfa, barley, and peas. He was an avid reader of mysteries and comic books, many of which he came across working in the family's scrap metal, salvage, and recycling business. His love of comic strips persisted throughout his life.
Ed attended Stanford University where he majored in economics and was a member of the Phi Gamma Delta fraternity. His college education was interrupted in the fall of 1955 by the tragic disappearance of his father on a fishing trip in Canada. Ed joined the search for his dad with his brother-in-law, John Hunter. The search party, including the Canadian Mounties and Indigenous Peoples, spent a week on horseback in the wilderness. They were forced to end the search when the group ran out of food. Ed's father was presumed dead but was never found. Ed took the lead in managing his father's estate for the next 67 years.
After his father's death, Ed resumed college. He graduated Phi Beta Kappa, earning great distinction and honors from Stanford. He then attended Harvard Law School, where he was on the Board of Student Advisors, was elected to the Editorial Board of the Harvard Law Review, and graduated magna cum laude in 1961. He clerked with Minnick Hayner in Walla Walla and served in the Air National Guard as an atomic weapons specialist in Colorado before beginning his law career in Portland, at Davies, Biggs, Strayer, Stoel and Boley, which later became Stoel Rives, LLP. He practiced at Stoel Rives until his retirement in 2008. He was the first Jewish lawyer employed by the firm.
Ed met his wife, Marilyn Kay Young, shortly after locating to Portland. They were married Dec. 29, 1962. Ed and Marilyn have two children, Lisa Marie Epstein and Rachel Ann Epstein, one grandchild, Cleo Florence Epstein-Rhodes, and son-in-law Martin Rhodes.
After Ed joined Davies, Biggs in 1962, he was appointed by the U.S. District Court for the District of Oregon to represent indigent defendants charged with federal crimes. Is was unusual for a young lawyer to be selected to defend these cases. Ed provided highly effective defense, and the firm's litigators expected him to join their group. Instead, he elected to practice corporate law, working with companies like Mentor Graphics, A-DEC, Tektronix, and leading health care organizations, and became an expert in corporate income tax, particularly provisions relating to forest products companies.
Ed was a member of the firm's Executive Committee, and the leader of the Portland corporate practice group for many years. In the 1980s, he helped guide both the creation of the firm's health care practice and the merger with Seattle-based firm Jones, Grey and Bayley. His contributions to the firm and its success over the years were significant. Both within and outside the firm, Ed was recognized for his superb legal skills, and his wisdom, judgment, kindness, and generosity. He was truly a trusted advisor to clients and a wonderful mentor and colleague to all with whom he worked. One young lawyer recalls working long hours across the hall from Ed's office. The long hours were at times offset by "Radio Free Epstein" when his door was open, giving those within earshot a legal education unlike anything they received in law school.
Ed was designated in "The Best Lawyers in America" both in corporate law and health law multiple times since 1989. In addition to his law practice, he served on the board of directors for Banner Bank, headquartered in Walla Walla, from 2003 until 2013.
During Ed's working life, his civic and charitable activities included service as a trustee of the Morrison Center for Youth and Family Service; trustee and president, Good Samaritan Hospital and Medical Center; trustee, Oregon Association of Hospitals Foundation; member, Neurological Sciences Center Operating Committee of Good Samaritan Hospital and Medical Center; director and secretary, Portland Hospital Facilities Authority; and member, Rotary Club of Oregon.
In retirement, Ed became very committed to Multnomah County Library's work. He served on The Library Foundation Board for more than a decade and was a board officer and the foundation's treasurer for seven years. He played a leadership role on four successful library ballot measure campaigns and was especially committed to the library's children's programs.
Ed will be remembered for his generous support of many diverse and worthy causes. From the early years of their marriage, Ed and Marilyn's shared values created a partnership for giving that was diverse, generous, and constant throughout their decades together. Both viewed with alarm the efforts to weaken Oregon's land use planning laws. Their earliest gifts were made to 1000 Friends of Oregon. When more generous gifts were possible, Ed and Marilyn supported many organizations, including Stanford, Harvard, Planned Parenthood, NARAL, United Way, the Library Foundation, and Literary Arts.
In his spare time, Ed enjoyed spectator sports, fishing, skiing, tennis, international travel, arts, and culture. He was a voracious reader and frequenter of the Multnomah Athletic Club. His family and friends always enjoyed his dry sense of humor, original take on politics, and wide-ranging intellect.
Ed remained lifelong friends with many of the people he knew, including classmates from a very young age in Walla Walla, among them Dave Casper and Jim Shepherd. He regrettably did not live to see the Portland Trail Blazers win another championship after 1977, although he attended games and held season tickets in the 44 years since.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations to the Library Foundation for Multnomah County Library https://www.libraryfoundation.org/ or Planned Parenthood of the Columbia Willamette https://www.plannedparenthood.org/planned-parenthood-columbia-willamette
A celebration of Ed's life will take place at a date to be announced, when it is safe to gather again in person.
Please sign the online guest book at www.oregonlive.com/obits