Norman Shapiro's Obituary
SHAPIRO, NORMAN, On September 23, a bright light left earth to become a shining star with the passing of Norman Shapiro after 88 years of an extraordinary life. Norman gently passed away surrounded by his loving family. Norman was born on May 16, 1927 in Brooklyn, New York and served on the aircraft carrier USS Kearsarge during WW II. After the war he followed his father into the building industry and eventually moved his family to Miami in 1957 where he and Barbara began their new life with their two young daughters Gail and Marcia. Gail predeceased him in 2010. He leaves behind Barbara his cherished wife of 67 years and Marcia his devoted and loving daughter, his adored granddaughter Lauren and her husband Jonathan. He lives on in the memory of his precious great-grandchildren, Molly, Benjamin and Abigail. Norman was principal owner of Sunshine Kitchens one of the largest suppliers of kitchen cabinets on the East coast. He was an innovator of advanced manufacturing techniques and was one of the first manufacturers to build the European style frameless cabinets in the U.S. He was admired and respected by real estate developers, building construction professionals, and manufacturers around the world. His employees respected him so much that they voted to dissolve the union in support of his policies of fairness and generous compensation. Norman's lifelong passions other than his family included helping others find a better life, traveling and taking cruises, spending time with friends, watching football and storytelling. First and foremost, he cherished being with his family. Norman will always be fondly remembered by his friends who were privileged to share his life. His kindness, compassion, integrity and generous heart left an indelible impression upon all who knew him. Norman was proud of his accomplishments and grateful for all of life's blessings that had been bestowed upon him. He was a firm believer in giving back. One of his favorite expressions was "It's better to give with warm hands than with cold hands." Always living by example, Norman and Barbara have generously supported many charitable organizations in the community. In lieu of flowers, anyone moved to make a donation in Norman's memory is encouraged to make a gift to the Diabetes Research Institute Foundation (954) 964-4040 or www.diabetesresearch.org or Compassionate Pug Rescue www.compassionatepugrescue.com. A memorial service will take place Sept. 25th at 11 am at Levitt Weinstein 18840 W. Dixie Highway, NMB. After which, Norman will be laid to rest at Mt. Nebo Cemetery 5505 NW 3rd Street, Miami.
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