James D. Epperlein

James (Jim) Epperlein, age 67, of Fort Pierce, Florida passed away peacefully on Thursday, February 25, 2021 after a valiant 12-year battle with Neuroendocrine Pancreatic Cancer.He was born on July 13, 1953 in Buffalo, New York to Werner and Lucille (Treadway) Epperlein. Over the years, Jim has served as the Maryland Media Coordinator for the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network (PanCAN.com) and has supported their local community outreach for pancreatic cancer survivors, victims, and their families.Along with his Johns Hopkins doctors and nurses, Jim initiated and provided advocacy for several interviews on WJZ-TV Channel 13 and WMAR-TV Channel 2 in Baltimore, Maryland to bring local awareness to this devastating disease.Jim has also provided hope and personal counsel as a compassionate member of the “Whipple Warriors” online support group for those who were facing the Whipple Surgery for pancreatic cancer and for those recovering from it.Jim was in the ONE percentile, statistically, for pancreatic cancer survivorship by celebrating 12 birthdays beyond his initial diagnosis and Whipple Surgery in 2009.He often told people that he was a “Walking Miracle”! Jim graduated in 1971 in the top eight of his class and served as Senior Class President at Byron-Bergen High School in Bergen, New York where he also met his future wife, Connie Stachow.They were married in Churchville, New York in 1973 and have celebrated 47 years together! Jim graduated from San Diego State University in 1979 with a B.A. Cum Laude degree with Distinction in Broadcast Journalism, leading him to many radio and TV opportunities in broadcast news, from news writer to on-air anchor all across this country.Unfortunately, due to a lot of bad timing, Jim was not able to complete his master’s degree pursuits in Communications Management at Towson University in Towson, Maryland. After relocating to Baltimore in 1985, Jim became well-known as Metro Traffic’s Morning Drive traffic anchor heard everyday on 13 Local Radio Stations, WJZ-TV Channel 13 and WMAR-TV Channel 2 – modifying his personal broadcast style to enhance each station’s format and personality.Jim went on to provide radio and TV traffic services at the Maryland State Highway Administration and at the Mass Transit Administration. However, Jim loved the music programming aspect of radio and pursued his passion, having great success at Key 103.1FM in Fredrick, Maryland as the Morning Drive host, achieving a Nationwide #1 Arbitron Rating for his Adult Contemporary Music format in 1999.This success with music programming led Jim to Salem Communications in Washington D.C. where he developed and managed their innovative XM 32 The Fish Contemporary Christian Music format for XM Satellite Radio, taking it from inception to a Top 5 National Ranking in 2005.Jim was then appointed by XM Satellite Radio to develop and manage the music format for XM 32 The Message making it America’s Most Listened to Contemporary Christian Music Station in 2008.Before Jim’s retirement in 2018, Jim was sought-out to create and develop the “World’s First Christian Music Streaming Service” called PRAZOR, based in Vero Beach, Florida.After 3 years in development, this music streaming app included 80 unprecedented and professionally-curated Christian music channels, incorporating an extensive variety of Christian music genres with a carefully-selected music library of over 100,000 songs.Jim was passionate about creating and developing professional broadcast music formats to exult Christ his Savior through Christian music.This beautiful fusion between the music artists and the listeners grew into his ministry outreach. While in retirement, Jim founded and developed ReZurrection Radio on Spotify to provide an advertisement-free Christian music platform (with no service fees!) for the world to be blessed with the Lord’s musical inspirations. ReZurrection Radio Program Director, Ron Diaz said, “Though we are deeply saddened at the passing of our founder and president, Jim Epperlein, we rejoice that he is free of pain. He fought courageously and he knew he was in God’s hands in life or death. We will continue with the work he started here at ReZurrection Radio and let the music that he loved so much be a lasting monument to a man who loved Jesus and people with his whole heart.” Jim is survived by his loving wife, Constance Stachow Epperlein and their two married daughters and spouses, Elicia and Kevin Frazier and Jamie and LaRae Rhodes.Jim is also survived by his grandson, Easton Frazier, and 6 brothers and sisters – Karen Evans, Judy Collins, Susan Webb, William Epperlein, Thomas Epperlein and Ronald Epperlein. Jim has been cremated at Hartenstein Funeral & Cremation Care in New Freedom, PA.A family memorial service will be held for Jim at his gravesite in Phoenix, Arizona on what would have been his 68th birthday.Jim’s brother-in-law, Marcus Collins, will officiate the service. Jim’s family would like to extend a huge THANK YOU to the entire staff at Johns Hopkins for their unparalleled care and innovative thinking, to the home transport team and to the hospice care nurses/chaplain for having more compassion than ever expected, and to the friends, family, and beautiful strangers who have shown the family so much kindness and support during our saddest days.Everyone has been a tremendous comfort to the family, whether it’s been for 12 years or for just 1 day, and they thank you from the bottom of their hearts. If you would like to reach out to Jim’s family at this time, in lieu of flowers, here are a few suggestions: Cards of comfort can be sent to Connie Epperlein at 7B Heritage Farm Drive, New Freedom, PA17349 Jim’s wife, Connie, has asked that any memorial gifts in honor of Jim be directed to supporting the amazing pancreatic cancer research being done by the Johns Hopkins Kimmel Cancer Center, under the direction of Dr. Daniel Laheru and specifically for the research of Neuroendocrine Pancreatic Cancer.Checks can be made payable to Johns Hopkins University indicating the gift’s designation and mailed to: Kimmel Cancer Center, PO Box 17029, Baltimore, MD 21297.Gifts can also be made online: https://secure.jhu.edu/form/kimmel. Jim’s daughters, Elicia and Jamie, have created a GoFundMe page for their Dad’s unbelievable medical expenses during this last impossible battle.You can read more about his amazing 12-year cancer journey and you can help their Mom by donating at https://gofund.me/fb1a75bb. HartensteinCares.com