Clifford Jay Shapiro, age 68, passed away in Walnut Creek on Friday, September 20th. He led a 42-year career as a lawyer for some of the nation's leading financial institutions, including Providian Financial and Wells Fargo Bank, where he spent the last 15 years.
Born in Houston, Texas to Robert and Goldie Shapiro on July 31st, 1956, he attended Houston's High School for the Performing and Visual Arts where his focus was orchestral music and he was part of the first graduating class. He went on to graduate from Rice University and Columbia University Law School and practiced law in Houston for several years before settling in San Francisco in 1990.
Clifford was a true Renaissance man whose mild-mannered demeanor belied extraordinary refinement, a wicked sense of humor, and love for life. An enthusiastic trombone player with a lifelong passion for music, he often said that the first thing he would save from a burning building would be his beloved 88H trombone. He traveled the world and tried to immerse himself in the culture of the places where he was going, for example learning basic Italian before his trip to Italy and visiting China five times while his son was working as an expatriate there. His love of learning led him to read hundreds of books, and he was known among family and friends as an excellent chef who successfully experimented with world cuisines ranging from Thai to Peruvian and everything in between.
He displayed unmatched strength and willpower in his final year, working full time and simultaneously acting as his wife's full-time caregiver even as he went through chemotherapy all the way up until his final hospitalization. At one point only three weeks before his passing, after a trip to the emergency room, upon his release he walked home and picked up groceries from Whole Foods along the way. His life and strength are an inspiration to all who knew him.
He is survived by his wife, Doreen Ludemann, his son, Robert, and his daughter, Amy. There will be a memorial service held at Temple Sinai (2808 Summit St, Oakland, CA) at 3:00 PM on Sunday, September 29th.