Clarence Shapiro, age 90, of Fort Lee and formerly of Demarest and Closter, died peacefully on July 12, 2011. Born March 14, 1921, he graduated from Townsend Harris High School (Class of 1938) and from City College of New York, where he was Varsity wrestling team Captain (Click here for his scoresheet on page 3!)), Junior AAU Champion and in 2000 was inducted into the CCNY Athletic Hall of Fame.

In 1942, Shapiro enlisted in the U.S. Navy’s V7 Program (Reserve Midshipmen’s School), and after receiving his officer’s commission he served in WWII for almost four years. Lieutenant Shapiro commanded the amphibious craft USS LSM-172 and guided his entire crew safely through perilous service in the Allied Pacific Invasion Fleet.

After the war, he passed the CPA exam and settled into Stuyvesant Town with his bride Lucille, whom he’d met and married while home on leave. They moved to the Closter-Demarest area in 1955 to raise their growing family, and Shapiro co-founded the successful accounting firm Shapiro & Lieberman CPAs, where he practiced as a deeply respected senior partner until his retirement. He was devoted to his family and a loyal friend to many, a charter member of Temple Beth El of Northern Valley, a world traveler and voracious reader, an avid supporter of the Metropolitan Opera and the New York Philharmonic, and an accomplished gardener.

His was, simply, a life filled with goodness, decency, accomplishment, love, commitment and integrity, and his legacy to his family is incalculable. Our “Chief” filled every room he entered, and he was his family’s hero. He was adored and is survived by his beloved wife of 66 years, Lucille Katz Shapiro of Fort Lee, NJ; daughter and son-in-law Nancy Shapiro Kahn and Danny Kahn of Upper Saddle River, NJ; sons and daughters-in-law Ken and Kathy Shapiro of Atlanta, GA and Andy and Marci Shapiro of Watchung, NJ; and grandchildren Stefanie and Jamie Kahn and Alex, Evan, Sam and Jessie Shapiro.