Our Chapter Founder
Founding Chapter President
Edith Renate Shapiro, a Holocaust survivor, psychiatrist, and advocate for the hard of hearing, was instrumental in leading the Westchester Chapter of the Hearing Loss Association of America (HLAA), then called Self Help for Hard of Hearing People (SHHH), in February 1983. Her commitment to supporting individuals with hearing loss was further demonstrated in 1989 when she opened a center dedicated to assisting the hard of hearing in Westchester County.
Born on December 19, 1925, the daughter of Karl and Margaret (Kunstler) Rosenbaum in Munich, Germany. Her mother, devoted stepfather Nathan Ullman and sister arrived in the United States fleeing Nazi Germany on July 18, 1938 at the age of 12. Edith attended Hunter College in New York City earning a Bachelor’s of Science Degree in Chemistry.
She worked as a biochemistry technician in cancer and photosynthesis research at Sloan Kettering Institute for Cancer Research and IBM. While working full-time and raising a family she also founded and joined community organizations that paved the way for affordable housing where racial discrimination was not tolerated. As Edith aged she became hard of hearing which became a barrier to socializing and social activism. Edith then led a chapter of Hearing Loss Association of America where she worked to develop awareness of the needs of people who are hard of hearing or deaf. In her later years, she developed her artistic side and wrote a memoir and created many pieces of pottery and jewelry.
In February 1983, Edith founded the Westchester Chapter of Self Help for Hard of Hearing People (SHHH), today known as Hearing Loss Association of America (HLAA), creating a network to provide support, resources, and advocacy for individuals with hearing loss in the Westchester County area. Her dedication to the hard of hearing continued in 1989, when she helped open a center in Westchester County aimed at assisting and empowering those with hearing difficulties.
In her later years, Edith explored her artistic side, writing a memoir and creating pottery and jewelry. She also shared her experiences as a Jewish child during the Holocaust with local audiences, using her story to advocate for justice and equality.
Edith married Bernard Shapiro in 1948, with whom she had two children, Charles and Cindy. In 1986, she married Lenny Harris, who passed away in 2016. She moved to Wayne, Nebraska, in 2017 to be closer to family. When people asked about her experiences as a girl in Nazi Germany, she articulately described her life to local audiences and helped people see how transformed her experience as a Jewish child who experienced hatred and persecution, into advocating for justice for those who are discriminated against.
In 1986 she married Lenny Harris who died in a fall of 2016. Edith moved to Wayne, Nebraska in 2017.
Edith Renate Shapiro, 93, sadly passed away Saturday, February 2, 2019 at Brookdale independent living in Wayne, Nebraska. Memorial Services were held at Brookdale Senior Living Community at 2 PM, February 11, 2019.
Edith Shapiro's legacy is a testament to resilience and compassion. Her work continues to inspire efforts to support and empower the hard of hearing community. Another memorial service was held on May 19, 2019, at the Westchester Community for Ethical Culture in White Plains, New York, to honor her locally where she founded the chapter.
We continue to honor Edith Renate Shapiro’s legacy by supporting and empowering the hard-of-hearing community. Her vision, dedication, and advocacy remain at the heart of the Hearing Loss Association of America Westchester Chapter today.
Learn more about Edith Shapiro’s life and memorial: Edith Renate Shapiro Memorial - Munderloh - Smith Funeral Homes.