Temple University acting President JoAnne Epps was married to her spouse Jay Epps for years. Did she have any kids? Details about her spouse, children, and family explored.
JoAnne A. Epps was an American law professor, legal author, and an educationist.
She served as the executive vice president and provost of Temple University, in Philadelphia.
Before her death, she was the acting president in place of Jason Wingard who resigned in March, 2023. She was the first Black woman to lead Temple University.
On September, 2023, the university was hit was the tragic news of her passing. Epps, 72, was attending a memorial for Charles L. Blockson of the school’s Blockson Afro-American Collection of Black when she fell ill, collapsed and died onstage.
Following her tragic death, which is a loss to the school, many are curious to find out more about her family, especially, her bereaved husband and kids. Here’s what we know about her personal life.
Who was Temple University’s acting president JoAnne Epps?
JoAnne Epps was born on May 28, 1951, in Cheltenham, Pennsylvania.
Epps received her bachelor’s degree from Trinity College in Hartford, Connecticut.
Following her bachelor’s, Epps went on to get her Juris Doctor from Yale Law School.
The Pennsylvania native began working at Temple University as a faculty member before becoming an associate dean for the academic affairs department.
In 2008, Epps was appointed as the dean for Temple’s Beasley School of Law.
Apart from her long history with Temple University, Epps published in several academic journals.
Who is JoAnne Epps’ husband?
Professor and Executive, JoAnne Epps was married to her husband Jay Epps.
The couple’s love story, including how long they were together, when they got married, how they met, and where they held their wedding are not known.
Also, details about her spouse, Jay, including his profession, age, and other personal life are not known to the media yet.
JoAnne and Jay lived with in New Jersey together for decades.
Did JoAnne Epps have any children?
Professor JoAnne Epps, who preceeded Jason Wingard following his resignation in March, was not known to be a mother and hence, she had no children.
No reports about her passing have included her having a son or a daughter.
At least, she was a mother-figure to all students of the Temple University, in Philadelphia.
What happened to JoAnne Epps?
On Tuesday, September 19, 2023, The Associated Press reported JoAnne Epps collapsed at a memorial service on the Temple University campus.
Epps was rushed to Temple University Hospital where she was pronounced dead.
Temple’s board chairman Mitchell Morgan released a statement speaking on the loss and legacy of Epps.
Morgan said: “There are no words that can describe the gravity and sadness of this loss.
“President Epps was a devoted servant and friend who represented the best parts of Temple. She spent nearly 40 years of her life serving this university, and it goes without saying her loss will reverberate through the community for years to come.”
At the time of writing, Epps’ cause of death has yet to be released.
How long has she been president of Temple University?
After a long history with the university, JoAnne Epps was named the acting president in April 2023 following former president Jason Wingard’s resignation in March.
Wingard was the first Black president to assume the position at the university with Epps breaking boundaries as the first Black woman to take on the role.
During her inaugural speech, Epps said: “As acting president, my mandate is to provide the necessary leadership to focus our collective intellect and energies on the immediate challenges of safety and enrollment.”
In her role, she led 33,600 students at the university.