Florence Broder Shapiro

Florence Shapiro, 97, passed away on January 29, 2023, in Dallas, TX. She was born in Brooklyn, NY, on December 8, 1925, to Harry Broder and Beatrice Block. Florence grew up in Flatbush, Brooklyn, in a Jewish, Italian and Irish neighborhood. She showed a love for science and mechanics at a young age, sparked by her uncle Sam, who introduced her to scientific books and samples of rocks and bugs.

Florence Shapiro was preceded in death by Daniel Shapiro, Harry Broder, Beatrice Broder and Doris Broder. Florence attended drafting and mechanical drawing courses after high school and got a job at The BG Corporation designing spark plugs for the US military war effort during World War II. She met her husband, Daniel Shapiro, at work and they were married in 1953. They moved to Roslyn, NY, on Long Island, where Florence served for three terms on the school board and helped start a community library. She also ran a successful floral and wedding decor business out of their garage.

After Daniel's passing, Florence moved to England for several months and then settled in Chapel Hill, NC. She was a talented cook and enjoyed watching Julia Child TV shows, using her family as taste testers for her latest recipes. Florence also had a love for dollhouses, which she built with her son Jonathan in her later years, sharing stories of her childhood and life lived.

Florence is survived by her two sons, Jonathan (Susan) Shapiro and Dr. Henry (Suzanne) Shapiro, grandson Jeffrey (Hara) Shapiro, Lauren (Hunter) Snyder and great-grandchildren Jake and Emily Shapiro. She was a woman ahead of her time, with the intellect and skills to pursue a wide range of careers, and she lived a life filled with love, creativity and a deep curiosity for the world around her. Florence's spirit, love for science and entrepreneurial spirit will be greatly missed by all who knew her.

In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made to the Children’s Advocacy of Collin County (caccollincounty.org).

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.Sparkman-Hillcrest.com for the Shapiro family.