Ida (Birnbaum) Shapiro

Ida Birnbaum Shapiro, 98 years old, of West Hartford died on Sunday, (March 16, 2008) at the Hebrew Health Care Hospital. She was the wife for more than 50 years of the late Philip Shapiro, formerly of Middletown. Ida worked and lived most of her life in New Britain. She was a graduate of New Britain High School and Central Connecticut Teacher’s College in 1929. She taught the second grade for many years at the Slater Road Elementary School in New Britain. She was the daughter of Reuben L. and Fannie Birnbaum and also worked in the family store, R.L. Birnbaum & Sons on Broad Street in New Britain. She was predeceased by three brothers, Leon Birnbaum, Philip Birnbaum, and Attorney Benjamin Birnbaum, all of New Britain. Ida moved to Hunter’s Run in Avon in 1985 and lived there for 14 years before moving to West Hartford. She was a life-long member of the B’Nai Israel Synagogue and its Sisterhood. She was also a life member of Hadassah and The Hebrew Home. She was known to be an excellent bridge player and won many tournaments over the years. She is survived by a son, Ruben Shapiro, M.D. and his wife Peggy Shapiro of Bloomfield, a daughter, Judy Tobin and her husband Paul Tobin of West Jefferson, NC. She also leaves five grandchildren; Steven Shapiro, Roger Shapiro, M.D., David Shapiro, Matthew Silverberg, and Jillian Tohber Leslie, and eight great grandchildren. Funeral services will be held TODAY, Monday March 17th at 1:30 p.m. in the Chapel of the Weinstein Mortuary, 640 Farmington Ave., Hartford, with interment in Beth Alom Cemetery, New Britain. Contributions may be made to Hartford Hospital or Hebrew Health Care. For further information, directions, or to share memories of Mrs. Shapiro with her family, please visit online at www.weinsteinmortuary.com.