Obituary: Richard D. Shapiro

Richard D. (Rick) Shapiro, age 71, of Dunwoody, passed away on April 3, 2023, after a valiant effort fighting pancreatic cancer.

Rick was born in Brooklyn, N.Y., and grew up in Phoenix. Upon graduation from Arizona State, he spent 18 years in the air freight forwarding industry in San Francisco, Los Angeles, and New York, before being transferred to Atlanta in 1980.

Tiring of corporate life in 1992, Rick opened a one-man energy consulting company, Benchmark Audit Services, which he operated until 2023.

Rick married his soulmate, Nancy (Bronfeld) in 1979, in Los Angeles. They spent their newlywed year in New York City before being transferred to Atlanta.

Rick and Nancy immediately became involved in community life in Atlanta. They joined Temple Emanu-El and immersed themselves in synagogue life. Rick served as president of the Board of Trustees, Brotherhood president, Board of Trustee member and co-founder and co-chair of the Life and Legacy program.

Rick served the community as commissioner of the Atlanta Synagogue softball league and commissioner of the Golden Boys basketball league at the Atlanta Jewish Community Center. Rick was also active in the Second Helpings as well as the North Atlanta Mens Club.

Rick and Nancy were fortunate to travel extensively in recent years, visiting over 30 countries on four continents. Favorite places included the Galapagos Islands, Machu Picchu, Patagonia, Morocco, Kenya, Tanzania, and Barcelona.

Rick was preceded in death by his parents, Leonard and Selma. He is survived by his loving wife, Nancy, and his children, Lori (Ryan) and Jeff (Hannah).

Rick’s passions included Mexican food, the Rolling Stones, San Francisco Giants baseball and Arizona State football.

The family requests that donations be made to Temple Emanu-El, to either Rabbi Anderson’s Discretionary Fund, the Legacy Development Fund, the Social Justice Fund, or the Caring Committee Fund. Arrangements by Dressler’s Jewish Funeral Care, 770-451-4999.

comments