Joseph Shapiro

oseph Robert Shapiro November 11, 1935 – July 13, 2026

Joseph R. Shapiro, 90, passed away peacefully at his home on Monday, July 13, 2026. Born on November 11, 1935, in

St. Louis, Missouri, to Joseph Shapiro Sr. and Ruth (Bennett) Shapiro, he was the oldest of four children. Joe was a

devoted son, brother, husband, father, grandfather, and great-grandfather who cared deeply for his family and friends.

Joe came from a long line of printers on both sides of his family. His maternal grandfather, Clarence Bennett, served

as superintendent of a printing firm at 4th and Pine in downtown St. Louis in the late 1800s. His father, Joe Shapiro Sr.,

worked as a printer for the St. Louis Globe-Democrat from approximately 1924 to 1959, and later for the St. Louis PostDispatch until his retirement in 1972.

Joe’s introduction to the printing trade became a cherished family story. When he was just 18 months old, his father

brought him to the Globe-Democrat and, while making up page one, stood Joe atop the page and declared him “the

only one to stand on page one before it went to press.” In November 1951, his father secured an apprenticeship for

him at the Globe-Democrat. Joe completed his six-year apprenticeship and received his journeyman printer’s card in

December 1957, promptly moving to the Post-Dispatch. The timing proved fortunate: fourteen months later, in

February 1959, the Globe-Democrat outsourced its printing to the Post-Dispatch, resulting in his father—and many

others—losing their jobs. His father was subsequently hired by the Post-Dispatch, where Joe now had more seniority

despite his father’s 35 years at the Globe.

Over Joe’s 40-year career at the Post-Dispatch, he advanced from printer to working with evolving typesetting and

computer systems in numerous supervisory roles, including systems coordinator, operations supervisor, programmer,

applications specialist, and systems manager. When he retired in 1998, he was Manager of the Atex computer system

used to publish the newspaper at that time.

Joe married Sharon Garrison in August 1957. They settled in Florissant, Missouri, and welcomed two children, Keith

and Karen. In the early 1970s, Joe discovered a passion for boating that lasted throughout his life. Starting with

Weekends on the Mississippi River and then a more permanent location in Lake of the Ozarks, Joe and Sharon created

countless memories on the water with family and friends. Family gatherings often included laughter over boating

adventures — and misadventures — shared across the years.

With no formal training, Joe became a gifted mechanic who could troubleshoot and repair almost anything. Neighbors

turned to him to fix their automobiles, motorcycles, and even the outboard motors on their boats. He took great joy in

helping others in this way.

Joe was a proud Shriner and a member of the Scottish Rite in St. Louis. He learned to play the bugle and traveled

throughout the Midwest performing with the Shriner’s Drum and Bugle Corps. After retirement, Joe and Sharon

enjoyed traveling the world together, visiting numerous countries in Europe and Asia. Joe also generously gave his

time to his church, his homeowners association, and his Beaumont High School alumni group.

Joe is survived by his loving wife of 69 years, Sharon Shapiro; his children Keith Shapiro (Angela Kavouras) of Olivette,

MO, and Karen (Dan) Pestka of St. Charles, MO; his grandchildren Ryan (Jennifer) Pestka of Lake St. Louis, MO, Corey

Pestka of St. Charles, MO, Kyle Shapiro (Julia Reedy) of Park City, UT, and Nicole Shapiro of Coralville, IA; and his

great-grandchildren Kennedy, Olivia, and Hayden Pestka. He is also survived by his brothers David Shapiro of Denton,

TX, and Edward (Barrie) Shapiro of Menlo Park, CA, along with many nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death

by his parents and his sister, Marilyn Parker.

One of Joe’s wishes was to celebrate his 90th birthday. Last November, surrounded by family and friends, he enjoyed a

wonderful celebration filled with love, respect, and joy. Joe was deeply touched by the outpouring of affection. He will

be dearly missed by all who knew him.

A memorial service will be held at Church of the Master UCC, 1325 Paddock Drive Florissant, Missouri 63033 on

Friday, July 31 at 11:00am. A luncheon will follow the service