Last June, the Sidney and Helen Epstein Building was officially dedicated, honoring the legacy of two luminaries in Eastern Maine for decades. Family, friends and community leaders gathered to celebrate the late Sidney and Helen’s lasting contributions to St. Joseph Healthcare and the Bangor community.
The building, home to St. Joseph Internal Medicine and the Gallery at 900, opened in 2019, but the dedication was delayed due to COVID-19. It bears the Epstein name in gratitude for a generous gift from their family.
Speakers included St. Joseph Healthcare President Mary Prybylo, RN; Vice President for Medical Affairs David Koffman, MD; Vice President of Operations Sandy Nesin, Esq.; Board
Member Judith Josiah Martin; long-time Bangor resident Norman Minsky, Esq., and Elaine Epstein, the oldest child of Sidney and Helen.
Elaine recounted her parents’ deep ties to the hospital, starting in 1951 when they chose St. Joe’s for her childhood tonsillectomy. Elaine says her mother chose St. Joe’s not just for the excellent care but because she knew the Felician Sisters were kind. She still remembers their big smiles and the ice cream they brought her as she recovered.
“St. Joseph’s was where our mother chose to be for what became the final six weeks of her life,” Elaine adds. “She was cared for with great professional competence and compassion by the staff and developed warm feelings for some of her wonderful caretakers. I know she shared our view that St. Joseph’s was a place that continued to live its Mission in the care and dedication of its staff.”