Allen Shapiro

Allen Shapiro was a fierce fighter who lost his final battle at the age of 87. Allen fought his way out of Red Hook (Brooklyn) New York, first by enlisting in the Army during the Korean War and then by graduating City College of New York (CCNY). After beginning his career with Abraham and Strauss in New York, Allen's path took him through Ohio before making Houston his true home. He worked at Palais Royal for 30 years, during which time he held the positions of Vice President, Merchandise Manager, and Buyer. After retiring in 2000, Allen continued his fight for small business in Houston with the Senior Core of Retired Executives (SCORE), a non-profit that provides free counseling services to small businesses and budding entrepreneurs. SCORE's Houston Chapter received national attention after Allen was named its Chairman. He conceived and instituted a new branding campaign for the Chapter. He also received the Distinguished Service Award for providing excellent service in public relations and marketing. He was known as an expert on small business development and acted as a spokesperson on the issue on several television and radio shows. Always the competitor, Allen played volleyball and was an avid jogger into his early sixties. He fiercely supported the City's renowned sports teams - both college and professional - and frequently attended these sporting events. This competitive spirit belied his softer side - which included his love of the arts, classical music, theatre, dancing and his keen sense of fashion. The one constant in his life for which he did not have to fight was the love and affection of his friends and family, including his college sweetheart and wife of 61 years, Phyllis Markowitz Shapiro; his children Janice and Alan Aronowitz (Houston), and Susan and Neil Schlisserman (New Jersey). Allen was also blessed with four adoring grandchildren: Ali and Samantha Aronowitz, and Seth and Joshua Schlisserman. Allen was predeceased by his parents Irving and Sadie Shapiro, and his sister Harriet Skurnik. "Poppy" will be missed by all who knew him, and all he touched. In lieu of flowers, please send donations to the Juvenile Diabetes Foundation.

Allen Shapiro

March 27, 1930 - June 6, 2017