Marty Epstein, Cycling Icon In Morristown, Passes Away At 69

MORRISTOWN, NJ — Marty Epstein, the owner of Marty's Reliable Cycles and the founder of the Gran Fondo N.J., died Thursday morning. He was 69.

Mary Dougherty, wife of Mayor Tim Doughtery, shared the news on behalf of the Epstein family on her personal Facebook page. "Marty has touched many lives over the years and his passion for life and cycling will continue to inspire the community for generations to come. We thank you all for your love and support during this incredibly difficult time," the Epsteins said.

The family expects to announce funeral arrangements soon.

Epstein died following a six-year battle with metastatic prostate cancer, his family said. The Morristown community had rallied around him during those years, raising money to offset the cost of his treatments.

Usually, Epstein was on the other side of charitable efforts: the Gran Fondo raised over $1.5 million for charities since its founding in 2011.

This is a developing story. Check back for more information.