Daisy Renate Tibor Shapiro-Rieke

1937 - 2025

Daisy Renate Tibor Shapiro-Rieke

May 11, 1937 - May 28, 2025

Charlotte, North Carolina - Daisy Renate Tibor Shapiro-Rieke, age 88, of Charlotte N.C., died on May 28, 2025.

Daisy was born on May 11, 1937 in Vienna, Austria, to Robert and Edith Tibor. Her family was Jewish, and by far the most crucial section of her life occurred in childhood, when the Tibors faced peril and persecution in Nazi-occupied Europe. Many of Daisy's relatives perished in the Holocaust, but she and her family miraculously survived.

Daisy emigrated to America with her mother and brother Peter in 1951, where they eventually made their new home in Coral Gables, Florida. Daisy graduated from the University of Miami with a degree in Elementary Education. She married Morton Shapiro in 1958, and over the next four years they started a family, with Sam born in 1959 and Julie in 1962. Daisy and her family moved to Charlotte, N.C. in 1964, where Morton joined the English Department of UNC Charlotte. Daisy and Morton remained married until 1980.

Daisy earned a Master's Degree in Special Education at UNC Charlotte, and worked as a middle school teacher. But it was as a teacher of "ESL" (English as a Second Language) that Daisy experienced her greatest joy and reward as an educator. During the years that she taught at CPCC and UNC Charlotte, Daisy was a welcoming and reassuring presence to hundreds of international students. Years after she stepped back from teaching, Daisy remained in contact with former students all over the world.

Daisy married Robert Rieke in 1985, a union which enriched both of their lives enormously. They were together for 28 years, until Robert's passing in 2013. It was during this time that Daisy had her second career, working for US Airways and Hapag-Lloyd Travel Agency. This was a natural fit, as Daisy and Robert loved to travel and experience new locations. However, Daisy's most meaningful destination was always Vienna, the place of her birth.

Daisy is survived by her beloved daughter Julie; her son Sam and daughter-in-law, Amy Burris Shapiro; her granddaughter, Nora Shapiro, who loved her Omi so much; her stepson Peter Rieke and wife Tonya; her sister-in-law Suzan Tibor; her brother-in-law Jay Shapiro; her niece Heleen Grossman and husband Steve; her nephew Michael Tibor; her nephew Mark Tibor and wife Allyson, and their children Aaron, Rachel, and Jordan. Daisy had too many friends to name here. Her close friendship with Rona Nikolovienis, which endured for 71 years, is an indication of how meaningful friendships were to Daisy.

Daisy always seemed genuinely happy to be alive. She believed in miracles, because she believed her survival as a child of the Holocaust had been a miracle. This may help to explain her life-affirming spirit, effervescent personality, and genuine sense of empathy. She formed incredibly lasting attachments with friends who loved her dearly. She was fiercely devoted to family and relatives. Daisy's children Sam and Julie were the direct beneficiaries of that love and devotion, and for that they know they are eternally blessed.

A memorial service will be held on Saturday, July 12, at 1 p.m., at Levine Jewish Community Center at Gorelick Hall, 5007 Providence Road #102, Charlotte, NC 28226.

In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to Jewish Family Services at Shalom Park, 5007 Providence Road, Suite 105, Charlotte, NC 28226.