Beatrice "Bunny" Shapero

Bunny Shapero died on January 15, 2026, a bright sunny winter’s day, one day after turning 102 and ½. She was a remarkable person who loved life and savored it to the fullest. Together with her beloved husband Phil, she was blessed with four children, three grandchildren, and eight great-grandchildren. Bunny loved her family, her friends, and her Jewish heritage. She loved Temple Emanuel. She loved learning, exploring, baking, entertaining, celebrating, and collecting. She loved laughter and sharing. Bunny was present to celebrate in times of joy and to be supportive in times of sorrow. She was a devoted and loyal friend and a dynamic community-builder.

Bunny was a first generation American. Both of her parents immigrated to the Boston area in the early 20th century from Eastern Europe. Her father, Ben Yanofsky, was already a blacksmith when he arrived at the age of 15 with his father Nathan, a tailor. They worked to bring the rest of their family to Massachusetts in the ensuing years. Ben went on to build a business focused on steel construction and founded the West End Iron Works in 1911. Bunny’s mother, Sarah Tankel, arrived with her family as a baby, grew up in Waltham, and worked at the Waltham Watch Factory as a teen. Bunny, the youngest of four, was born in Boston in 1923 and grew up in Mattapan, a tight-knit, vibrant Jewish community. Bunny graduated from Dorchester High School for Girls and, following in her sister Charlotte’s footsteps, went on to secretarial school and to work briefly in her father’s business. Bunny’s lifelong love of collecting began in childhood. At Nantasket Beach, where her parents had a summer cottage, Bunny collected seashells and Hood’s ice-cream cup covers with pictures of movie stars. Throughout her life, she collected things that caught her fancy, ranging from postcards and antiques to recipes and books. At age 16, Bunny met Phil Shapero, her future husband. He was a pharmacist and co-owner with his older brother Abe of the Post Office Pharmacy in Bangor, Maine. Bunny and Phil were married during World War II, while he was in the service, and lived briefly on an Army base in Las Vegas, New Mexico. Their first children, twins Susan and Martin, were born at the end of the war. Son Norman was born in 1948. During that time, they lived in Bangor, where they resided for a number of years before moving to Boston. Their daughter Janet was born in Boston in 1953.

During their early years in Boston, the Shapero family lived in Mattapan, in the same two-family house in which Bunny had grown up. Her parents and Aunt Hilda moved upstairs to make room for them. Bunny was proud of her Jewish heritage and her family’s participation in Jewish community building. Bunny’s grandfather Nathan was a founding member and served as the gabbai at Chambers Street Shul in the West End of Boston. Her parents were founding members of Temple Beth Hillel of Mattapan and her father served as its first president. In 1957, Bunny and Phil and their four children moved to Park Avenue in Newton (which is still the family home) and became members of Temple Emanuel. In 1959, the Shapero twins had their Bar and Bat mitzvah together. Susan was the first girl to have a Saturday morning Bat Mitzvah at Temple Emanuel. Bunny applied for and was awarded special dispensation for this unusual occurrence. At age 70, Bunny herself studied for and received her Bat Mitzvah together with other members of the Adult Bat Mitzvah Class. At age 80, she became a Ma-ah student, reflecting her motto ‘it’s never too late’. Bunny had a zest for life. She actively participated in the religious and social life of Temple Emanuel and the Newton community. At temple, Bunny was on the board of Sisterhood, was a regular attendee with Phil at daily Minyan and on Shabbat. She volunteered at the library and was active in fund raising and community building. Bunny and Phil enjoyed playing bridge and ballroom dancing, often sparkling on the dance floor as if on the silver screen. After Phil’s death in 1999, Bunny continued to be highly active at Temple, which became like a second-home to her. She continued playing bridge, learning, expanding her horizons, enjoying music and dance, celebrating, and spending time with those she loved..

Bunny was a tireless advocate for the mentally ill. She was a founding member of the Newton/Wellesley Chapter of NAMI (National Alliance on Mental Illness) and was a leading fund raiser. Her son Martin suffered from schizophrenia from his mid-teens until the end of his life in 2024. Bunny’s older sister Charlotte and mother Sarah suffered from Alzheimer’s in their later years. Perhaps in an effort to ward off dementia, Bunny tried to keep her mind and body active and healthy, promoted medical research, and volunteered for medical studies to further understand Alzheimer’s. In the final decade of her life, however, Bunny herself suffered from Lewy-Body Dementia and for three years was a resident of Bridges, a Memory Care Facility in Lexington, where she received outstanding care from dedicated and devoted healthcare professionals and staff members. While at Bridges, Bunny celebrated her 100th, 101st, and 102nd birthdays and inspired everyone who met her. She continued to be loved by all.

A funeral service will take place on Tuesday, January 20, 2026 at 10:00 AM at Temple Emanuel of Newton, 385 Ward Street, Newton, MA. Interment to immediately follow at Temple Emanuel Memorial Park, 490 North Street, Randolph, MA.

Shiva will take place Tuesday, January 20, 2026 at Temple Emanuel of Newton, 385 Ward Street, Newton, MA from 6:00 – 7:30 pm.

Donations in Bunny’s memory can be made to the Phillip and Bunny Shapero Scholarship Fund, https://www.templeemanuel.com/give/ ; NAMI, Newton-Wellesley, https://namimass.org/donate/ ; or Hearth: Home – Boston, https://hearth-home.org/donatetoday/