Irving M. Shapiro, 99 years of age, of Delray Beach, FL, formerly of Colchester, CT, died Monday, March, 13, 2017. Born in Brooklyn, NY, he was the son of the late Joseph and Lena (Shucard) Shapiro. Irving served as a Captain in the US Army during World War II. He leaves his wife of 72 years, Ethel (Levine) Shapiro of Delray Beach, FL, Lynda Kaplan and her husband Don of Marblehead, MA, Cynthia Shapiro and her husband Brian Cichella of Wayland, MA, and Marshall Shapiro and his wife Margie Cantor of Boulder, CO; seven grandchildren, Jonathan Santer, Lee Santer Farwell, Casey Snyder, Elena Snyder Crisp, Isaac Shapiro, Lauren Shapiro and Maya Cantor-Shapiro, and four great grand-children, Jack, Ellie, Cece, and Colton. Irving “Shep” Shapiro earned his Master’s Degree in Bacteriology, owned and operated Nursing Homes in the greater Hartford area, was President of Ahavath Achim Synagogue, and worked to develop housing for the elderly in Colchester. He designed and established recreational therapy programs for nursing homes which became a model for the rest of the nation. Shep was a devoted family man, a world traveler, an avid tennis player, photographer, bird watcher and skier, between Westchester, Colchester, Amston Lake, Vermont and Florida. Funeral services will be held at 12:30 PM on Sunday March 26, 2017 at Congregation Ahavath Achim Cemetary, Tainter Hill Road, Colchester, CT. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to Diamond Blackfan Anemia Foundation, dbafoundation.org. Arrangements are entrusted to Weinstein Mortuary, Hartford, CT. For further information, directions, or to sign the guest book for Irving, please visit online at www.weinsteinmortary.com/funerals.cfm