Myron E. "Mike" Shapiro

Myron “Mike” Shapiro, 94, passed away peacefully on March 26, 2021 in Belmont, MA. Mike was born in Boston in 1926 and was the only child of David & Lila Shapiro. He was raised in Brookline, MA and graduated Boston English High School in December 1943 before enlisting in the Navy during World War II. He served as a gunner in planes off of an aircraft carrier in the North Atlantic until the war ended. He survived a plane crash on the carrier and sustained a back injury, but successful surgery gave him full health during his life. Mike retired as a Lt. Commander in the Naval Reserve and was a long-time member of the Officer’s Club in Boston.

After the War, Mike graduated from UMass Amherst on the GI Bill and later received his MBA from Boston College.

In June 1954 Mike was set up on a blind date with New-Bedford native Fay Goodman. The two began a courtship and were married in 1955. They settled in Newton in 1960 where they started a family and remained for nearly 50 years.

Mike joined the government contractor EG&G in the 1950s and, among other things, photographed the detonation of nuclear bomb tests in the Pacific. He spent several years as a manager or executive for multiple manufacturing companies before buying Boston Machine Works, a shoe machinery company in Lynn, MA, in the early 1980s. He spent his later years consulting for various small businesses and was an active member of the Service Corps of Retired Executives (SCORE), where he was a passionate and active member into his 80’s.

An avid and talented woodworker and artist, Mike built a wide range of furniture for his home and was famous for his half hull ship models and anything nautical. As a young man he found a talent for watercolor painting; he had dozens of paintings hanging in his Newton home, many of which can now be found in his children’s homes. He loved to spend time in his yard, planting vegetables every year and tending to his rock garden. He cared for his property on his own until moving to Waltham after age 80.

He was also a crossword puzzle fanatic and was able to finish the daily and Sunday puzzles with ease.

Mike loved spending time with his daughter Linda, son-in-law Joe, son Ethan and partner Gwen, son Josh, daughter-in-law Suzanne, his nine grandchildren Sarah, Michael, Collin, Greg, Maddie, Jake, Dylan, Katie and Matthew, and his great grandson, Santiago. He and Fay traveled to see their family frequently, spending a lot of time in New Hampshire, New Jersey and Florida visiting family and watching their grandchildren’s sporting events, celebrating holidays, enjoying good food and a strong sense humor.

Mike is survived by his wife, Fay, and all his children, their spouses, grandchildren and great grandson.

A celebration of Mike’s life will be scheduled at a later date.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the American Cancer Society.