Eva Mary Schiff "Chava" Shapiro

SHAPIRO, Eva Mary Schiff "Chava," passed away on October 1, 2009 in Richmond, at age 87. Born in Poland in 1922, Chava emigrated to the U.S. at age seven. She was preceded in death by her mother and father, Toba and Israel Schiff; her brother, Morris Henry Schiff, her beloved husband, Herbert Shapiro; and her adored daughter, Vicki Adele Shapiro. The loss of Vicki at age 16 was heartbreaking for Chava. As a living memorial to Vicki, Chava, with Vicki's friends, founded the Vicki Shapiro Drama Workshop at the Jewish Community Center. Chava, along with the late Goldie Wasserman, guided the Workshop in producing numerous successful theatrical productions for many years, and provided dramatic experience to generations of young people. Chava is survived by her son and his wife, David M. Shapiro and Maxine Wolff Shapiro, of Richmond; her devoted daughter and her husband, Claudia Shapiro Shear and Albert Lewis Shear, of Richmond; her "special" daughter, Marcia Lutwick Moosnick, of New York City; two grandchildren, Dr. Adam J. Shapiro and his wife, Dr. Sarah Craig of Durham, N.C. and Erica Callia Wolff Shapiro, of Richmond; a great-granddaughter, Sydney Ann Shapiro, of Durham, N.C.; and her "special" grandchild, Heather Moosnick and her husband, Reggie Williams, of New Rochelle, N.Y. Chava is also survived by many friends and family members whom she held dear, as her friends were her family and her family were her friends. She will be missed and remembered by all. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be sent to Temple Beth El, in Richmond, where Chava was a member since its inception. Services will be held at the Richmond Beth-El Cemetery Chapel at Forest Lawn Cemetery, 4000 Pilots Lane, Richmond, Va., on Monday, October 5, at 3 p.m., and interment will follow.
This obituary was originally published in the Richmond Times-Dispatch.