David Epstein, 57, family physician

David Epstein, 57, of Merion, a family physician who was active in the Orthodox Jewish community, died of cancer Tuesday, April 13, at home.

Since 1993, Dr. Epstein had been in practice with colleagues Sue Sandler and David Battaglia at Main Line Family Medicine in Ardmore. "He was enormously devoted to his patients," said his wife, Cheryl Rabinovici Epstein.

Dr. Epstein, who was board certified in family and geriatric medicine, was also medical director at Waverly, a retirement community in Gladwyne.

He was on the staff of Lankenau Hospital and was chief of family medicine at Lankenau for 10 years.

Dr. Epstein was also on the staff of Bryn Mawr Hospital and was associate director of the family medicine program there from 1989 to 1993. "He was an outstanding role model and teacher for residents," said Kay Kerr, chairwoman of the family medicine department at Bryn Mawr. "David was an energetic, sensitive, thoughtful, intelligent person whose concern for others was genuine."

Dr. Epstein was an active supporter of Talmudical Yeshiva of Philadelphia, a religious school for Orthodox Jewish boys and young men in Overbrook. He volunteered his medical services to the school and was on call to care for the students 24/7, said a close friend, Rick Goldfein.

Dr. Epstein was a member of the Lower Merion Synagogue and Young Israel of the Main Line synagogue. He was former chairman of the education committee of the Torah Academy of Greater Philadelphia, a Jewish day school in Wynnewood, and was president of Philadelphia Community Kollel, an institute for the advanced study of the Talmud and rabbinic literature.

He loved learning and had a particular passion for the study of sacred text, Goldfein said.

A native of Lancaster, Ohio, Dr. Epstein earned a bachelor's degree from Harvard University. While in Cambridge, Mass., he met his future wife, who was a student at Radcliffe College.

After graduating from Albert Einstein Medical School in New York, he completed a residency in family medicine at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital. He then was a fellow in geriatric medicine at Temple University Medical School and was on the faculty of the family medicine department there.

In addition to his wife of 34 years, Dr. Epstein is survived by his parents, Morton and Lila Epstein; sons Dov and Daniel; daughters Chava Goldschmidt, Yael Cortell, and Tamar; two sisters; and seven grandchildren.

The funeral and burial were Wednesday, April 14, in Beit Shemesh Israel Cemetery near Jerusalem. Dr. Epstein visited Israel many times with his family and was there as recently as two months ago, his wife said.