OLD ORCHARD BEACH — Herbert M. Shapiro of Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts, and Old Orchard Beach, died Monday, Oct. 17, 2016.
He was the beloved husband of Barbara (Kirshenbaum) Shapiro; loving father of Herb’s special adopted daughter Feel Better Shapiro; devoted son of the late Benjamin L. and Lottie (Kronenberg) Shapiro; dear brother of the late Diane (Shapiro) Applebaum; fond cousin of Beth Levy; uncle of Stephen Applebaum and wife Gail of Long Island, New York; and great-uncle to Rebecca, Bradley and Laura.
He is also survived by: his brother-in-law, Dr. Gerald Kirshenbaum and wife Joan; his niece, Dr. Susan Silver and husband Andy; and great-niece and nephew Maddie and Sam Silver; all of Denver.
Pass the word – it’s Herb himself. Saracen is gone.
Most of his military career was a shadowing existence; hence there is no written record of it even existing. He returned home and became vice president of ABC Linen Service. In 1970, he entered the financial service industry, and in 1988, he and his wife Barbara started HMS Financial Group, which has grown to become one of the premier wealth management and financial planning firms in the area.
Even at 81 years of age and after battling a multitude of illnesses for over 40 years, he was still connected to the office every day. Very few people knew about these illnesses. His feeling was, “Why talk about them, everyone has their own problems.”
He was active in many charities and fundraising groups. He was a four-time Master of Shawmut Lodge AF&AM. He and Barbara were members of Temple Emeth, and staunch supporters of the state of Israel.
He was a passionate Red Sox fan and equally passionate Yankee hater. In his younger days for a short period of time, he was a standup comic. He performed in summer stock in Maine, Connecticut, Massachusetts and New York, and, until recently, in local community theater.
He was a very private person and slow in letting people “in.” Barbara has said, “I was married to him for 33 years, and there are still things that I am just finding out that I never knew before.”
One of his secret ambitions was to become a “Lounge Rat.” Two of his favorites were Billy Daniels and Lou Rawls. Herb was a complex and very much a Renaissance man. In art, his taste ran from the Dutch masters to Mary Cassatt to Winslow Homer, all the way to original cells of the Disney movie “Song of the South.”
He was an accomplished gourmet cook, and before his illnesses, he could often be found on weekends in his kitchen experimenting. His taste in music ran the gamut from Willie Nelson to the New Orleans Jazz of Al Hirt and Pete Fountain (“Columbus Stockade Blues” was one of his favorites) to Broadway shows all the way to the classics. His favorite classical piece was “Meditation from Thias.”
When he was a kid, he was a camper at Camp Arundel in Raymond, where he became fascinated by the Blackfoot Indian Nation. He loved spending time in Maine with Barbara – it was never enough, at their oceanfront getaway in Old Orchard Beach.
Everyone knew where they stood with Herb. What you saw was what you got. He was tough, but never asked more than he was willing to give.
When asked what he thought was his greatest accomplishment, he never hesitated: “Meeting and marrying Barbara.”
He will be sorely missed.
Services will be at 2 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 19, at Temple Emeth, 194 Grove St., Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts. Interment will be at Sharon Memorial Park. A memorial observance at Temple Emeth will immediately follow the service. Shiva continues 2- 4 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 20, Friday, Oct. 21, and Sunday, Oct. 23.
In lieu of flowers, remembrances may be made to: Wounded Warriors Project, 150 Cambridge Park Drive, Suite 202, Cambridge, MA 02140.
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