Sherman G. Shapiro

WORCESTER, MA: Sherman George Shapiro of Worcester, MA and Scarborough, ME passed away peacefully on December 30, 2016 with family at his side. He was born in 1917. Nicknamed “Sonny” for his sunny disposition, he celebrated his 99th birthday on December 3rd.

A native and long-time resident of Auburn, Maine and a 1935 graduate of Edward Little High School, he studied chemistry at Bates College and received a B.S. degree in Business Administration from Boston University.

Before college, Sherman worked at J.J. Shapiro & Bro., the family's dry goods and furnishings store, founded in 1892, serving the New Auburn neighborhood for over 60 years.

He was a Certified Public Accountant and partner with his brother in the accounting firm of Ernest M. Shapiro & Co., Lewiston. During WWII, he was a Maine State Accounting executive for the Office of Price Administration, which, in one instance, required an in-person hearing for a requested one cent increase for services of a small Northern Maine laundry. Sherman served as an Internal Revenue agent with the U.S. Treasury Department. He was director of the Central Maine Division of Northeast Bank and a director of Northeast Bankshare Association, the bank's parent company, before being elected chairman of the board of directors of Northeast Bank, Portland. Later, he was chairman of Merrill/Norstar Bank of Maine that merged with Fleet Financial, where he continued on the Maine board of directors. Fleet then merged with Bank of America.

He was a member of the governing body of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants, past chairman of the Maine Board of Accountancy, past president of the Maine Society of CPA's, receiving their Lifetime Achievement Award, and past president of the Northeastern Association of CPA Examiners. He was a member of the Florida Institute of Certified Public Accountants.

He was president of the Lewiston-Auburn YMCA and facilitated the creation of Temple Shalom Synagogue-Center of Lewiston/Auburn and became its treasurer. Sherman served on the National Alumni Council of Boston University and taught several accounting courses to members of the Androscoggin Valley Chapter of the American Institute of Banking. He administered the Maine State Board of Accountancy examinations. He volunteered in the Lewiston/Auburn Kiwanis Club and could be found flipping pancakes and pouring coffee at their annual Foodtown breakfast. He was an avid outdoorsman and golfer and tended his fruit trees and backyard vegetable gardens where pumpkins and squash proliferated. Sherman played competitive tennis, winning doubles championships in many State of Maine tournaments. He enjoyed world travels for business and pleasure. He was a local Mason and Kora Shriner.

He enjoyed the beach and ocean setting at his Pine Point, Scarborough residence and was fond of barbecuing, often entertaining his friends and family regaling them with humorous stories. For many years, he wintered in Boca Raton, FL.

He is survived by his daughter Susan Williams, husband Robert and grandchildren Charlotte, Samuel and Sarah of NJ, his son John (Jack), wife Jeanne and grandson Nathan of MA and his son Gary of NY. He leaves many cherished nieces, nephews and cousins.

Sherman was predeceased by his beloved wife Charlotte (Cominsky), his parents Jacob and Goldie (Aronson), brother Ernest, sisters Helen Bean, Selma Blatt, all of Auburn and Leah Weinsier of New York.

Condolences may be shared with Sherman’s family at www.thefortingroupauburn.com

FUNERAL NOTICE:

SHAPIRO---Sherman George, of Worcester, MA, died December 30, 2016. A funeral service will take place at Temple Shalom in Auburn on Sunday January 8, 2017 at 11am followed by a committal at Beth Jacobs Cemetery also in Auburn. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Jewish Healthcare Center, 629 Salisbury St., Worcester, MA 01609 or Temple Shalom 74 Bradman St., Auburn, ME 04210, or to a favorite charity of your choosing. Arrangements are under the care of The Fortin Group\Plummer & Merrill Funeral Home, Cremation and Monument Services 217 Turner St. Auburn, 783-8545.