Joyce Shapiro, a dedicated educator, community volunteer and longtime Port Washington resident, died peacefully at home on May 26. She was 94.
Known for her decades-long service to the Port Washington school district and her dedication to her community, Shapiro is remembered for her warmth, integrity, and commitment to making a difference in the lives of others.
Joyce met Marvin, her husband, in the early 1950s when both were teachers in the Port Washington School District. He was a science teacher, and she taught what was then called business education. They married in 1955 and raised their family in the home they purchased in 1958, where Joyce would reside for nearly 60 years.
Shapiro spent most of her career at Schreiber High School, where she served first as chair of the business education department and, later, for 11 years until her 2002 retirement, as assistant principal. A generation of Port Washington families knew her as a thoughtful and principled educator who brought fairness and deep care to her role.
“She was just remarkable in every aspect of her job,” said Sid Barish, former Schreiber High School principal and longtime colleague. “Joyce had a way of making everyone, students, teachers, staff, feel heard and valued. She made people better just by knowing her.”
Shapiro’s impact extended well beyond the classroom. She was a longtime board member of the Port Washington Federal Credit Union and a volunteer tutor at the Port Washington Public Library, where she taught English to new immigrants. She was also an active participant in countless civic and school-related organizations and was known for her meticulous sense of organization, sharp mind, and compassionate heart.
“She always treated everyone with equal respect,” said her son, Josh Shapiro. “From clerical workers to administrators, it didn’t matter, she cared deeply about people and their dignity.”
After moving to The Amsterdam at Harborside in 2017, Shapiro remained active, serving on the residents council and ultimately as its president during a particularly difficult time for the community. In her final months, she lived happily among friends at The Atria in Roslyn.
A passionate advocate for education, Shapiro never truly retired from public service. Her family and friends recall her as someone whose purpose was clear: to help others. Thanksgiving was her favorite holiday, and the family plans to continue the tradition she held so dear.
“We were all better and knowing her, she made kids better people, adults better teachers. She just had this remarkable ability to connect with people with an uncanny listener,” said Barish. “She taught us not only how to lead, but how to care.”
After Marvin died, Joyce channeled her love and energy into her relationship with her grandson Peter. The two developed an extraordinarily close bond.
Shapiro enlisted Peter as her traveling companion, and together they embarked on many trips that created lifelong memories and deepened their connection. The two journeyed to the American and Canadian West, and then branched further afield to Alaska, Costa Rica, the Galapagos Islands, and twice to Africa. Those who knew Joyce often spoke of the pride and joy she felt in being Peter’s grandmother.
“She enlisted Peter at that stage, he was probably six years old, seven years old to be her traveling companion, and they went on trips all over the place,” said Shapiro.
In lieu of flowers, the family asks that Shapiro’s memory be honored by doing something to improve someone else’s life or strengthen the community, just as she did, quietly, consistently, and with heart, throughout her own.
Shapiro was predeceased by her husband, Marvin, in 1998. She is survived by her sons Joshua and David, daughter-in-law Heller Berman, and grandson Peter Shapiro.
