Dr. Robert Shapiro

Dr. Robert “Dr. Bob” Shapiro died peacefully on Tues., March 29, 2016.

He was born August 8, 1923 in Springfield, Massachusetts, to Max Shapiro and Edith Goldstein Shapiro, the oldest of three children. His siblings, Bernard and Judith, chose to remain living on the East coast, while Robert took up the life of a gypsy until he later settled in California.

He attended high school in Springfield and went on to college at the University of Vermont. He then proceeded to dental school at Columbia University, though he had an underlying desire to be a physician. However, he continued on to serve in the U.S. Army as a dentist in San Francisco towards the end of World War II. There he met the love of his life, an irresistible Army nurse, Florence L. Murphy, and they married in 1947.

Two daughters were later born, Sheila Ann and Amy Louise.

With Florence’s encouragement, Robert decided to return to medical school in a quest to become a surgeon, and he graduated with a medical degree from the University of Kentucky in Louisville. He lived to care for others.

His career path took him and his family to Salt Lake City for his internship and finally to San Francisco, where he completed training in what was then called plastic surgery. He embarked on said career during the infamous “Carol Doda” era in San Francisco’s North Beach but soon moved on to the East Bay Area, where he transitioned into a very dedicated trauma and burn repair surgeon.

Being so involved in his career left little time for personal pursuits; however, he loved weekend road trips with his family, he was never without a dog, and he was an avid reader and moviegoer.

Following the death of his first wife, he married Brenda Aquilar.

He remained in his career until he retired and then helped to raise and father her grandson, Richard Stout. He really enjoyed having the experience of a son after two rambunctious daughters. He was so proud of all his children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren. He exemplified the generation and immigrants he came from in not always showing his deepest emotions. He was not a man of excess, but his words were deep and true.

He moved to Whitefish in 2013 to be near his daughter, Sheila, but he left his heart in San Francisco.

He is preceded in death by his parents, his wives, daughter Amy Bruhl and granddaughter Carly Bruhl.

He is survived by his siblings, Bernie Shapiro and Judith Brody; daughter, Sheila Shapiro; grandchildren and spouses, Cameron and Amy McConnell, Arielle and Aaron Lawhead, Andrew Hudak, Molly, Zachery, and Malcolm Bruhl, and Richard Stout; and six great-grandchildren.

In lieu of flowers, please donate to the local veterans home or Whitefish Food Bank. Many, many thanks to all who cared for him these last two and a half years. The Springs of Whitefish staff has been superlative.

A Mass and celebration of life will be held at 2pm Friday, April 8, at The Springs of Whitefish.

Austin Funeral Home is caring for the Shapiro family.