Funeral Set for Lois Eskenazi, Philanthropist Behind Eskenazi Hospital
INDIANAPOLIS — This week, loved ones will gather to remember Lois Eskenazi, whose name is on Eskenazi Hospital.
Eskenazi passed away January 4 at her part-time home in Florida. She was 92.
Born Lois Cohen in Chicago’s Pullman District, she met her husband, Sidney, while they were students at Indiana University. They married and spent more than 70 years together, raising three children—Sandra, Dori, and David.
Lois was a skilled painter who shared her work at the Hoosier Salon and the Indiana State Fair. But she and Sidney were probably best known for their generosity. In 2011, they gave $40 million to build the Sidney & Lois Eskenazi Hospital, replacing the old Wishard Hospital near downtown.
Their support also helped start the Sidney and Lois Eskenazi Museum of Art and Indiana University’s Eskenazi School of Art, Architecture + Design.
She is survived by her husband, three children, eight grandchildren, and several nieces and nephews.
Funeral services are Thursday, January 15, at 11 a.m. at the Indianapolis Hebrew Congregation, with burial at Etz Chaim Cemetery. The service will also be livestreamed.
