HENRY EPSTEIN

EPSTEIN HENRY DAVID EPSTEIN Henry David Epstein, who led an extraordinary life full of love, generosity and accomplishment, died peacefully on Saturday, December 24, 2016. He was born Heinz David Epstein in Frankfurt, Germany, the son of Julius S. Epstein and Lola Heilbronner Epstein. Raised in a conservative Jewish home he maintained a lifelong commitment to Judaism and Jewish traditions and causes. Henry and his brother, Thomas, evaded Nazi persecution by escaping to Holland in 1939, and then again to Great Britain in 1940 where they were reunited with their parents. During his time in England he was housed at St. George's and St. David's School in Bexhill-on-Sea where he vividly remembered seeing the improvised British fleet set out to rescue the Expeditionary Force at Dunkirk. The family then emigrated to America and settled in Rhode Island making their home first in Pawtucket and then Providence. With the difficulty of the initial language barrier there was much confusion over Henry's education level, and with his obvious intelligence and height it was assumed he was actually much older. As a result, Henry skipped middle school and was enrolled in high school early. His maturity and intellect became so evident that he advanced quickly and was able to matriculate at Brown University at the age of 15. Henry's college attendance was interrupted by Army service, but he returned and was a member of the Brown class of 1946, graduating magna cum laude and as a member of Sigma Xi, the national honorary society for science and engineering. He graduated from Harvard Business School as a Baker Scholar in 1951 with a degree in Engineering Administration. While at Harvard, he was active in various philanthropies and Zionist causes, and especially in the development of Harvard Hillel. Henry's training led him to General Electric, Spencer Electronics and then to Texas Instruments where he was a significant contributor to that company's involvement in fields as diverse as aerospace, hand-held computers and batteries. His humaneness and generosity to his fellow employees at TI were bywords at a time when tough business practices were the norm. When asked about his work in those days he usually would reply: "I made circuit breakers, motor protectors and trouble." He contributed to scores of patented products including refrigerator and air conditioner motors, early calculator keyboards, film-pack camera batteries, and motor vehicle electronic skid and ignition controls. He was proudest of the many controls he designed that traveled to the moon with the Apollo spacecraft and the Lunar Module. He joined the Loral Corporation in New York in the mid-1970s before becoming CEO of Penril/Datacomm in Maryland and eventually consulting in the recovery of other firms in the U.S. and Canada. Henry never lost interest in business or engineering, but during the latter part of his life he was increasingly involved in the arts both as collector and artist, blending his commitment to Jewish tradition with joyful creativity. He travelled widely and was a studied collector of antique Holy Land maps, indigenous American art and modern glass sculpture. His philanthropy included donations of maps and art to the Smithsonian and The George Washington University. He meanwhile became an accomplished painter, glass fabricator, poet and songwriter. Henry had a fierce intelligence, mordant dry wit and profound interest in theology. He studied Torah weekly, and he fostered his love of music by taking piano lessons alongside his then eight-year-old daughter, Lola. He wrote dozens of poems and songs, producing two books of poetry, "My Mother's Brisket" and "Please Tell Me When The Light Turns Green" and two CDs of poetry and songs, "My Father's Moustache" and "Monogamy Waltz." He also wrote an unpublished third book of poems and an as-yet unproduced musical, "Flamingo Bay." His septych of paintings depicting the Creation have been reproduced for display in synagogues. Henry is survived by his wife of 25 years, Barbara Tannenbaum and their daughter, Lola Epstein, and by his three children from his previous marriage to Henny Wenkart - Jonathan Epstein (Ariel Bock), Heitzi Epstein (Geoffrey Green) and Ari Epstein (Joan Silberlicht); and seven grandchildren, Daniel Green, Perry Green, Benjamin Epstein, Wolfe Coleman, Tiger Coleman, Noah Epstein and Judith Epstein. He is also survived by his brother, Thomas Epstein (Carol). Services and interment took place Wednesday, December 28, 2016.Henry is survived by his wife of 25 years, Barbara Tannenbaum and their daughter, Lola Epstein, and by his three children from his previous marriage to Henny Wenkart - Jonathan Epstein (Ariel Bock), Heitzi Epstein (Geoffrey Green) and Ari Epstein (Joan Silberlicht); and seven grandchildren, Daniel Green, Perry Green, Benjamin Epstein, Wolfe Coleman, Tiger Coleman, Noah Epstein and Judith Epstein. He is also survived by his brother, Thomas Epstein (Carol). Services and interment took place Wednesday, December 28, 2016.