INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — A funeral service on Thursday will celebrate the life and legacy of real estate developer and philanthropist Sidney Eskenazi. Eskenazi, one of the benefactors of Eskenazi Hospital in Indianapolis, died at his home on Saturday at age 95. He joins his wife of over 70 yea rs, Lois Eskenazi, who passed away on Jan. 4. An Indianapolis native, Sidney Esknazi was a graduate of Shortridge High School and Indiana University, where he also received his law degree. After graduating from IU Law, Eskenazi met Mel Simon, and began a partnership that established multiple K-Mart shopping centers throughout Indiana and Michigan. He continued developing shopping centers throughout his career, founding Sandor Development Company in 1962. Over the next three decades, Sandor grew into a real estate company spanning 26 states. Eskenazi, according to an obituary posted by Flanner Buchanan, was “convinced retirement was what killed people,” and he worked “until his final days.” Sid and Lois Eskenazi were devoted philanthropists and endowed both the Sidney and Lois Eskenazi Museum of Art and the Eskenazi School of Art, Architecture + Design, both in Bloomington. In 2011, the couple gifted $40 million to help build the Sidney Lois Eskenazi Hospital just west of downtown Indianapolis to replace the aging Wishard Hospital. The couple’s gift also ensured the creation of a new public health system, Eskenazi Health. Sidney Eskenazi is survived by his and Lois’ three children, Sanda Eskenazi, Dori Meyers, and David Eskenazi, multiple grandchildren, his sister Daisy Stein, and many nieces and nephews. A funeral is planned for 11 a.m. Thursday at Indianapolis Hebrew Congregation, 6501 N. Meridian St., with burial following at Etz Chaim Cemetery. A livestream of the service will be provided at https://ihcindy.org/streaming. ...read more read less