Sondra Serota Shapiro

Sondra Serota Shapiro passed away in Oakland California August 27, 2019 at 84 years old. Sondra was born in Chicago, Illinois on October 8th, 1934, the first child of Sam Serota and Sarah Goldberg Serota. She grew up in Chicago where she attended Bryant Primary School and Marshall High School, where she met her future husband Bobby (Robert) Shapiro. Sondra and Bob became sweethearts when she was 14 and he was 15 years old. They married after high school on December 26, 1952 when Sondra was 18 years old. The couple lived in Chicago during their early married life. In 1957 the couple had their first child, a daughter, Marcey Shapiro. After she was born, Sondra became a stay at home mom for many years. A son, Marc Shapiro, was born in 1960 and son, Richard Shapiro was born in 1964. In 1966 the family relocated from Chicago to Houston, Texas. They joined congregation Beth Yeshuran, and Sondra quickly became an avid and active congregant. She joined the Sisterhood and eventually served as an officer and a president of the group. She was an enthusiastic student, always eager to learn more about her heritage. One of her proudest days was as an adult when she became a Bat Mitzvah. In her later years she also became an active participant in Hadassah in Houston Texas. When her youngest child Richard was in third grade, she began to work at Houston jewelry and distributing. She was promoted many times at that job and eventually ran the entire customer service department and simultaneously did some managerial work. Sondra loved travel, especially cruising. She also enjoyed dining out, friends, theatre and was a great cook and passed along many fantastic traditional Jewish recipes. She had a keen mind her entire life. Sondra was a wonderful wife, mother and grandmother as well as a loyal sister and friend. She is survived by her three children and their spouses, Marcey Shapiro and her wife Star Woodward, Marc Shapiro, and Richard Shapiro and his wife Florena Shapiro. She is also survived by her sister Phyllis Serota and her wife Annie Weeks as as well as her late brother Robert Serota's wife Susan Serota. She was the proud, proud grandparent of four grandchildren Bryan Shapiro and his wife Wanna Zhang, Michelle Shapiro and her partner Jon Florez, and Sean and Bailee Shapiro. She also has many beloved nieces and nephews and cherished her family and her extended family. Anyone wishing to make a donation in her honor may do so by donating to congregation Beth Yeshurun, Jewish Family Services of Houston, or Smile Train.

Sondra Serota Shapiro

October 8, 1934 - August 27, 2019