Ted Epstein Jr., a renowned athlete who competed in many ultra-endurance sports, passed away May 7, 2016, in Denver. Rabbi Richard Rheins officiated at the May 11 graveside service at Fairmount Cemetery. Fairmount made the arrangements.
Ted was a true gentleman: kind, modest, positive, and a source of help and inspiration to many, the family said. He was a devoted family man.
Born July 23, 1935, in Denver, Mr. Epstein graduated East High School and received his JD from DU.
He practiced law for 30 years and was a successful bronze artist. But sports were the pinnacle of his life.
Mr. Epstein was inducted into the Colorado Sports Hall of Fame, the US Senior Athletes Hall of Fame and the East High Athletic Hall of Fame.
He married Vivian Sheldon Epstein on June 13, 1962. They were together for almost 54 years.
An ultra-endurance athlete, Mr. Epstein completed three Six-Day races, ran nearly 500 miles across Siberia, climbed Pikes Peak eight times, swam around Manhattan Island, half way around Hong Kong Island, and was the first man, along with another companion, to swim across the Bering Strait.
He climbed Mt. Kilimanjaro and Mt. Vinson (the tallest mountain in the Antarctic).
Mr. Epstein was the first person in the world to complete the Grand Slam of Triathlons: Double, Triple, Quadruple and Quintuple in a one-year period.
He also completed Mexicos Deca-Ten Ironman, which involved swimming 24 miles, biking 1,120 miles and running 10 marathons, equal to 252 miles.
Selected as an Olympic torchbearer, Mr. Epstein triumphantly ran up the steps of the Colorado State Capitol on Jan. 30, 2003.
Mr. Epstein is survived by his wife Vivian Epstein; daughter Elizabeth Epstein (Steve) Smith; granddaughters Samantha and Haley; brother Ron (Sara) Epstein and sister Marilyn Snyder; sister-in-law Ruth Epstein and brothers-in-law Norman (Brenda) Sheldon and Jerry Snyder.
He was predeceased by son Teddy Epstein III and brother Fred Epstein.
Contributions may be made to Alzheimers Disease Research, 22512 Gateway Center Dr., POB 1950, Clarksburg, Md., 20871.
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