Obituary of William H Shapiro, Jr.

Bill Shapiro- husband, father, grandfather, great-grandfather, son, uncle, brother, friend, teacher, mentor, coach and, most importantly, a good man, passed away on Sunday, February 18t, 2024.

Born on August 31, 1946 in Jersey City, NJ to the late Bertha and Bill Shapiro, Sr., he attended Union City public schools( when not out playing games in Jefferson schoolyard!). He graduated from Jersey City State College and later obtained his Masters Degree from Montclair State College.

Teaching called to him and he loved every day of his 37 years teaching at Union Hill high School, his alma mater. He thrived in the multicultural nature of Union City knowing that kids were kids no matter what their heritage.

Bill was proud of his Hudson County roots.  He loved to talk and to drive and listen to sports radio; watch Jeopardy, the History channel, and Cooking with Nick Stellino.  He loved to bake cookies for special occasions and Christmas cookie trees were his specialty.  We all knew to leave him to his own devices when it came to decorating them. He could always be heard whistling while doing anything he enjoyed.

Bill was happiest when he was around his family - his wife Ellen, son Craig and Jeannie, son Billy and his wife Raysa and their girls Leah and Zoe,  son Neal and his wife Shea and their son James,  daughter Noelle and her husband Mike and their sons Oliver and Harrison, and brother Dave and his wife Joanne.  Bill was also an adopted full member of the McNeal family, including Bill and Sharon, Ann and Bob, Raymond and Cindy, Kathy and Dan and Tricia and Greg, along with 14 nieces and nephews and 3 great nieces. Large family gatherings at sister-in-law Ann’s house would see upwards of 28 folks.  Bill fit right in and was an official carver of all roasts during the holidays. He loved woodworking and was a wonderful artist, creating one-of-a-kind wooden sculptures for Christmas that always have and always will adorn the homes of his beloved family members.  

The YMCA in Hardyston was a second home for Bill.  Playing ping pong with the guys was the highlight of any given day.  He would come home and tell anyone who would listen about his friends - the pilot, the bee-keeper and all about the antics with John, Rich, Ron and Keith.  Hiking parts of the Appalachian Trail with Paul were treasured memories for him.  Bill worked alongside Paul and others in building the boardwalk along the trail; if you hike the trail in Glenwood, NJ, you can stop for a moment and think of Bill and how you may be treading on boards he laid with his own hands.  

Bill will be missed daily by Ellen, his wife of 44 years.  You know it was true love that she got him to travel beyond Hudson County.  Trips to Italy, Ireland, Puerto Rico, Las Vegas, Williamsburg and the Jersey shore with the Carbones and the Minervinis brought lots of laughs.  He loved his many years of vacations in Ocean City, Maryland with the McNeal Clan. He would most often be found standing in the surf, watching the waves and the horizon and his family splashing about.

A man of strong faith, determined work ethic, and love of country were traits of which he was proud.  At the drop of a hat, he would drive anyone, anywhere and would help move things in his truck.  There was nothing he couldn’t make fit in the back of that pick-up truck.  A lover of sports, especially the Giants, Rangers, Yankees, the Vernon Vikings, and the Salve Regina, Sacred Heart and Cazenovia soccer teams - Bill knew the value of sports in young people’s lives.  

To that end, in lieu of flowers, the family requests donation be made to The Sussex County YMCA (15 Wits End Rd Hardyston NJ) with a note in the memo line “in memory of Bill Shapiro, Jr.”

Visitation will be held on Tuesday, 2/27 from 3-7 at Norman Dean Funeral Home, 16 Righter Avenue, Denville, NJ. Funeral Mass will be follow at 10AM Wednesday, February 28th at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, 29 Hillview Ave, Morris Plains, NJ 07950.