Justin Esses, MD, 42, passed away on March 9, 2019. 

Justin is survived by his devoted wife Stephanie Battaglia-Esses, children Eli and Esther Esses, sister Stephanie Ann Esses, sister-in-law Julia Partin, nieces Olivia and Margo Esses, and parents Gary and Rita Esses.

Justin was a Parkway Central honors graduate, National Merit Scholar, and graduate of the Mizzou honors program, Magna Cum Laude. After earning a medical degree from Vanderbilt University, he went on to Boston University and Harvard for residency, internship and fellowship programs. While at Harvard Justin found his passion for working with the veterans. His first jobs were at Mass General and Boston Veterans Hospital.

Justin met and married Stephanie, a California girl, when they were both living in Boston. The two eventually moved to Justin’s home town of Chesterfield to begin a new chapter in their lives and raise a family. 

Justin loved the great outdoors. He loved climbing mountains, hiking, camping and was able to climb in various national and state parks. Because Stephanie was also an outdoors person they became members of the Nature Conservatory in Massachusetts and spent many of their weekends in Boston exploring the nearby coasts and nature reserves. Justin also had many fond memories of the years his family spent on the Mississippi river in their houseboat. When sharing antidotes of the many adventures and mishaps of those years on the river it always brought smiles, laughs to him and everyone listening.

But Justin’s greatest love and joy in life was being a husband and father. He loved playing with his kids, teaching them and molding them for the future. They were robbed of his life but not of his legacy.

The funeral service will be held at Congregation Shaare Emeth, 11645 Ladue Road in Creve Coeur, 63141, at 11 a.m. Sunday, March 17. A luncheon will immediately follow the service in the synagogue hall. 

Memorial donations can to made to curemeso.org (a mesothelioma research foundation).