Obituary of Morris J. Shapiro

Morris J. Shapiro, M.D. Born October 21, 1913, passed away on February 25, 2016 at 102. Predeceased by his wife, Miriam, parents, Rose & Simon Shapiro; brothers, Joseph, Sol & Bernard. Survived by his daughters, Donna Shapiro & Barbara Fiorucci; granddaughters, Jessica, Kate & Marissa. Born and educated in Rochester at East High, Dr. Shapiro was a graduate of the U of R on a four-year scholarship, receiving a B.A. & M.S. degrees and was Phi Beta Kappa. He received his M.D. from Jefferson Medical College and received the Gold Medal Award for being the first in his class for four years and an Alpha Omega Alpha. His surgical residency was at Michael Reese Hospital in Chicago. He and his wife, Miriam volunteered after Pearl Harbor and served four years in Africa & Italy, participating in the first day of the Italian invasion and received Africa & Italian Campaign Ribbons, four battle stars and the Invasion Arrowhead. Dr. Shapiro practiced surgery until 1983 and since then taught medical students at the U of R Medical School receiving the Gold Medal Teaching Award. He was the founder & director of the Center for the Early Detection of Breast Cancer at Strong Memorial Hospital, provided for the first time in the country to underserved & disadvantaged women free breast examinations, mammography, training & referral. He was honored by the local medical societies with their highest awards and served the community as a member of the Board of Directors of the United Way and the Jewish Community as President of the Jewish Federation & the Jewish Home. He chaired annual fund raising for the organizations for several years and chaired the campaign that successfully raised the money to build the Jewish Home. He has continued to teach medical students to the present. Funeral Services will be held on MONDAY, February 29, 2016 at 11 AM in the Sanctuary of Temple Beth El (139 Winton Rd. S.). Interment, Mt. Hope Cemetery. Click here for directions to the cemetery. The family will receive friends at the Summit (2000 Summit Circle Dr.) on Monday from 3-5 & 7-9 PM. Click here for directions to the Summit. Dr. Shapiro's Life Story: Morris J. Shapiro ~ born in Rochester and attended number's 20 and 8 schools, then East High where his major sports activity was wrestling. He held the city championship for 3 years. He then went on to the U of R on a 4 year tuition free scholarship receiving a Bachelor of Arts in 1933 at the age of 19 and a Master of Science degree and election to Phi Beta Kappa in his third year, the honorary scholastic society. Among his major activities was playing the part of Mephistopheles in the production of Faust in the original German, receiving a highly complimentary review in der Abendpost. Morrie received his M.D. from Jefferson Medical College in Philadelphia receiving many honors including the Alumni Medal for the highest grades in his class for 4 years and was elected to Alpha Omega Alpha, the honorary scholastic medical society. After surgical residency at the Michael Reese Medical Center in Chicago, he enlisted as a volunteer in the Army in February 1942 and served in the Michael Reese unit – the 16th Evacuation Hospital as head of a surgical team from 1942 to 1946. He served in Africa and Italy, participating in the invasion of Italy on D-day, receiving African and European campaign ribbons with 4 battle stars and the invasion arrow head. He was discharged as a Major. In 1944, Passover occurred during the battle of Mt. Cassino. They were involved in that battle and were set-up within 5 miles of the Nazis. He and Miriam decided to have a Seder. She was very persuasive and the Army cooperated. They had a large tent and the Army provided matzo, ceremonial wine, candles, etc. Miriam recited the blessings over the candles and Morrie ran an abbreviated Seder. About 75 soldiers we in attendance and some of the refugee. They repeated this in 1945 in Pistoia, Italy. Shortly after the war he married Miriam, settling in Rochester where he actively practiced surgery from 1946 to 1984 as an attending surgeon at the Rochester General, Genesee and Strong Memorial Hospitals. Since his retirement, he continues his medical activities by teaching senior medical students at the U of R Medical School half days, holding the positions of Emeritus Professor of Surgery and Professor of Emergency Medicine. He has served the Rochester Community in varied ways as well as the general community. This includes the United Way, including membership on its Board of Directors. He was also a Board Member of the Council of Social Agencies, The Rochester Citizens Planning Council, and the Advisory Committee of the Monroe Council on Aging. In his service to the Medical community he was President of the Rochester Surgical Society, the Upstate Chapter of the American College of Surgeons and on various committees. He was the recipient of many honors, from the Monroe County Medical Society its highest honor, the Edward Mott Moore Award; and the highest honor of the Rochester Academy of Medicine, the Albert David Kaiser Medal. He was the founder and director of the Center for the Early Detection of Breast Cancer at Strong Memorial Hospital, providing for the first time in the country to underserved and disadvantaged women free breast examination, mammography, training and referral. However, Morrie's greatest activities have been on behalf of the Jewish community. He has been on numerous boards and committees. He has served as president of the Jewish Community Council, the United Jewish Welfare Fund of Rochester, the Jewish Community Federation, The Jewish Home, the Rochester Committee for State of Israel Bonds, vice-president of the Jewish Community Center, and the Board of Jewish Family Service. He chaired the fund raising committee for the Jewish Community Federation, State of Israel Bonds and the very successful campaign for building the Jewish Home, a 364 bed facility. He was a founder of the Golden Alliance. He also served on the national boards of the Council of Jewish Federations and Welfare Funds, Hebrew Immigrant Aid Society (HIAS) and national cabinet for State of Israel Bonds. Among his Jewish Community honors are the Awards as Man of the Year by the United Jewish Welfare Fund, the Jewish Community Council, B'nai B'rith, the Jewish War Veterans Sports for Israel, and Hadassah. For many years the Rochester Organization of New Americans awarded an annual medical school scholarship in his honor to a deserving student in Israel. He received one of the first Harold Hecker Lifetime Achievement Awards from the Jewish Community Federation. Among his most cherished honors was the donation by the Rochester Jewish Community of an operating suite in the Schneider Children's Hospital in Petah Tikva named in his honor, and most recently the new Emergency Dept. of Strong Memorial Hospital named its new Conference Room that serves as the focal point in teaching students, residents, and attending physicians as the Morris J. Shapiro, M.D. Conference Room. Morrie's pride and joy was his wife, Miriam, providing a constant intellectual challenge. His daughters Donna and Barbara, and his grandchildren, Jessica, Marissa and Kate are his greatest treasures. June 12, 2002 ~ honored together with Miriam at Israel Bond Tribute Dinner for Outstanding Activity for the Jewish Community. March 2004 ~ honored by Lifespan, a community wide service organization serving the older community with the second half service award. Home Brighton, New York Birthplace Rochester, New York Donations