Obituary: Linda Repa-Eschen, business director, 72
Longtime dedicated employee in the Division of Endocrinology, Metabolism & Lipid Research
Repa-Eschen
Linda Repa-Eschen, former business director for the Division of Endocrinology, Metabolism & Lipid Research within the Department of Medicine at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, died June 5, 2023, at her home after waiting for a lung transplant. She was 72.
Before coming to Washington University, she taught English for 10 years at Bishop DuBourg and McCluer North high schools in St. Louis. She dedicated the next 40 years to business administration at the former Jewish Hospital of St. Louis and Washington University School of Medicine.
Working with Louis V. Avioli, MD, who founded the Division of Bone and Mineral Diseases at the School of Medicine, Repa-Eschen helped establish a nonprofit entity to highlight challenges in health care, called the Lifestyle & Health Corporation. After Avioli’s death in 1999, Repa-Eschen continued the work of the nonprofit for almost 25 years, transferring its assets to Washington University and the Division of Endocrinology, Metabolism & Lipid Research. The entity will fund a lecture in Repa-Eschen’s name to highlight ethical and complex issues in medicine.
“Linda was an important member of our division who was a model of diligence, integrity and generosity,” said Clay Semenkovich, MD, the Irene E. and Michael M. Karl Professor and director of the Division of Endocrinology, Metabolism & Lipid Research. “Even while waiting for a transplant, she worked remotely to facilitate clinical operations, maintain research infrastructure and ensure that our faculty could nurture our trainees. Before she came to work for the university, she taught in a classroom, so it is appropriate that a lecture in her name will continue to fund a lecture that will teach us all.”
She is survived by her husband, John Eschen; a daughter, Jessica (Brianna) Eschen-Goodman; a brother, Denis Repa; and her in-laws, Sr. Carole Eschen; Jim (Laura) Eschen, Mary Fran (Tony) Jurkovich, and Tom (Chris) Eschen. Her family expressed its deep gratitude for the caring doctors, nurses and staff of the Lung Transplant Team and Pulmonary Hypertension Group at Barnes-Jewish Hospital and Washington University.
A memorial was held in June. Those wishing to make memorial contributions to the Linda Repa-Eschen Fund may send checks to MSC1082-414-2555; 1 Brookings Drive; St. Louis, Mo. 63130. Online donations may be made at giving.wustl.edu. by writing “Linda Repa-Eschen Fund” on the online form.
See here for more information about her life.
