Epstein had a number of jobs throughout the course of his life. He spent a decade working as a manager at Fieldstone Mortgage Company, developed and sold his own tanning product, and then had a stint as a sales trainer for Camping World. In 2018, Epstein opened his own travel agency, combining his love and expertise for travel with his passion for helping people and making them smile.
It was these passions that Epstein brought to his job as a flight attendant. In 2020, at the onset of the pandemic, when many people were locked down and not traveling, Epstein did just the opposite, embracing his passion for travel full-time. He became a senior flight attendant and sales executive for PSA Airlines, a small subsidiary company owned by American Airlines, enthusiastically applying himself to every aspect of his new career. Epstein enjoyed hamming it up during crew introductions, introducing humor and levity to a typically staid part of the flight experience that most travelers disregard.
But Epstein was hard to ignore. His quick wit and jokes ensured he held the attention of passengers. A passenger who flew on a flight Epstein staffed more than a year before his passing recalled his gregarious personality and “dad jokes” that enhanced the flying experience. It was also his sincere care for his passengers that made him a memorable character for those flying with him across the United States. A passenger from early on in his career, during the height of the pandemic, recalled how Epstein comforted her daughter who was discomfited by the masks and noise around her.
‘He Was a Very Warm Person’
Shortly after last week’s air disaster, Rabbi Yossi Groner, director of Chabad of Charlotte, received a call from his colleague, Rabbi Avremel Blesofsky, director of Chabad of Union County in Scotch Plains, N.J. Blesofsky told Groner that a member of his community had lost her brother in the tragedy and had asked for Chabad’s help ensuring he received a traditional Jewish burial.
As soon as Groner saw Epstein’s name and picture, he remembered meeting him just a short while earlier.
“About a year ago, I was flying when the flight attendant surprisingly approached me and asked if I was the Chabad rabbi in Charlotte. It was Ian,” recalled Groner. “He was a very warm person, and we continued speaking even after we landed and were waiting in the terminal.”
Epstein told Groner that he knew about Chabad because of his sister’s relationship with the Blesofskys in New Jersey. He said he was interested in becoming more involved in the Charlotte Jewish community but his packed flying schedule made it difficult. The pair exchanged information, and Epstein—who as a young man was involved in Jewish youth groups and camps, helping shape and cement his proud Jewish identity—promised to visit Chabad of Charlotte when he had more time.
“Ian had told his sister that when his time came, he would like to be laid to rest at Charlotte’s Hebrew Cemetery,” Groner told Chabad.org. “Of course, it is our greatest privilege to help escort his soul to its final resting place, ensuring that his last journey is carried out with the dignity and respect he deserves.”
He is survived by his wife, Debra Joel Epstein; his children, Joanna Epstein, Hannah Epstein, Carina Finn and Kayla Morgan; his sister, Robbie Bloom (and her husband, Steven); his brothers, Brian Epstein (and his wife, Ashley) and Zachary Epstein; and his granddaughter, Lilah Morgan.
