Daniel Shapiro

November 16, 1924 - October 22, 2023

Daniel Shapiro was born November 16, 1924 in Los Angeles. The son of Abram and Esther Shapiro, he attended Manual Arts High School, served in the Army during World War II and then attended UC Berkeley, where he studied civil engineering. While at Berkeley Dan met Lois Rothenberg. They married in 1948 and moved to San Francisco, where they remained happily married for 60 years.

Having grown up in Los Angeles, Dan had a love of the beach. He and Lois purchased a condo on West Maui in the mid-sixties and returned there regularly for the rest of their lives. He enjoyed tennis, playing in a Saturday doubles game, often followed by animated political discussions. He enjoyed classical music, travel, crossword puzzles and a good cookie. He and Lois also had a tradition of celebrating New Years eve in Carmel with close friends.

Dan worked for Bechtel and then John Sardis and Associates, Architects and Engineers, prior to founding the structural engineering company now known as SOHA Engineers in 1965. His work focused on advancing building seismic performance with the goal of improving public safety. He led the effort to ensure that schools in San Francisco were earthquake resistant and was instrumental in the effort to pass the San Francisco Unreinforced Masonry Building Ordinance, the first ordinance to mandate structural retrofits of a particularly vulnerable type of building. He served as President of The Structural Engineers Association of Northern California (SEAONC) and The Applied Technology Council and as Chair of the California Seismic Safety Commission. Towards the end of his career, Dan worked on commentary and guidelines for building seismic rehabilitation as a project director for FEMA. His professional awards included the SEAONC H.J. Brunnier Lifetime Achievement Award and the California Earthquake Safety Foundation Alfred E. Alquist Medal.

Dan had a generosity of spirit, sense of humor and strong moral compass that touched those around him. He died on October 22, 2023 at the age of 98. At his request there will be no funeral. There will be a gathering of family and friends in the near future to remember and celebrate his life. For information contact ruffshapiro@gmail.com. Memorial contributions to organizations seeking social justice are preferred.

He is survived by his two sons, three grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.