Celebration of life held for late Temple University President JoAnne Epps

PHILADELPHIA (WPVI) -- Family and friends of late Temple University President Dr. JoAnne Epps gathered at the Liacouras Center on Friday morning for a celebration of life.

Epps suddenly died after falling ill on stage during a campus event on September 19.

She was transported to Temple University Hospital, where she was pronounced dead around 3:15 p.m., the university said.

She was 72.

There has been no word on what caused her death. A doctor speaking at a news conference said she suffered a "sudden episode."

SEE ALSO: Community mourns sudden loss of JoAnne Epps, Temple University's interim president

A native of Cheltenham and a graduate of Yale Law School, Epps held leadership roles in national organizations like the American Bar Association. She was an assistant U.S. attorney in Philadelphia and was chair of the city's first-ever Police Oversight Board.

She was named acting president of Temple in April following the resignation of Jason Wingard.

Epps' family was joined by members of the Temple community on Friday as well as people in the city who honored her life and legacy through song and speech.

"As you can imagine, this is still kind of raw. Our family is very close," Epps' cousin, Donal Jackson, told the crowd. "It's a very large family. We are still somewhat in shock."

In a video message that was played, Gov. Josh Shapiro said Epps was a "powerful force" in the Temple community.

"She dedicated her life to its service. She lived the motto 'Temple Made'," Shapiro said.

Last week, the Temple University Board of Trustees voted to posthumously change Epps' title to president in order to forever seal her legacy at the university.

Her former colleagues who attended Friday's event remarked on the woman and leader she was.

"She was such a force here. And her affection for this institution, especially for her respect for the people, was just bottomless. To think she is no longer here, there's a little hole in the soul of Temple University today," said Ray Betzner, the former associate VP for marketing and communications at Temple.

State Representative Malcolm Kenyatta told Action News he met Epps when he was a freshman at Temple. He described her as an incredible mentor and friend.

"She was always an incredible mentor and friend and she's just one of those people, who I think are too often in short supply, that treats everybody unequivocally with dignity, respect, and kindness," said Kenyatta.

"Obviously, whoever is going to be the next president is someone who has to be adept at filling massive shoes," Kenyatta added.

In light of Epps' passing, the Temple University Board of Trustees voted this week to appoint Richard Englert as president.

Englert served as the university's president from 2016 to 2021. School officials said they plan to name a permanent president by spring 2024.

During Friday's celebration of life, Englert addressed the crowd.

"JoAnne has left for us a legacy of hope and optimism for the future," he said.

Epps spent nearly 40 years of her life on Temple's campus, from an employee at the school bookstore to the dean of the law school to the president.

"I was extremely fortunate to see JoAnne doing what she loved and did so well, teaching and inspiring yet another generation of law students to make a difference," her friend and former colleague Roberta "Bobbi" Liebenberg said.

Classes at Temple were canceled on Friday.