Obituaries Friends, colleagues, and former students of the author, who died May 18, recall his steadfast dedication to—and passion for—literary fiction Twitter Facebook Leslie Epstein was a pillar of the Boston University Creative Writing Program, serving as its director for more than 30 years. This week, he is being remembered by colleagues and former students as a writer and teacher who cared deeply about literature, following his death May 18 from a stroke after heart surgery.