Kathy Buck Shapiro
May 23, 1955 - May 13, 2026
Mary Kathleen "Kathy" Buck Shapiro, beloved daughter, wife, mother, sister, aunt, and friend, passed away peacefully on May 13th at her home in Carmel, IN due to complications from ALS.
Born in Cincinnati, OH on May 23, 1955 to Hilda (Farabaugh) and Cyrus Buck, Kathy dedicated her life to her family and helping others. Kathy attended St. Lawrence Catholic School and Lawrenceburg High School, where she was a cheerleader, gymnast, as well as Drum Major her junior and senior years, leading the marching band with her signature backbend onto her tall busby hat. Kathy attended Purdue University before transferring to IUPUI, where she earned her B.S. in Physical Therapy. While studying in Indianapolis, she met the love of her life, David Shapiro, whom she married on June 27, 1981.
Kathy built a distinguished career in physical therapy, serving patients in a variety of settings from hospital care to out-patient rehabilitation. She also had the privilege of working with competitive athletes throughout her career, including the Purdue Men’s Football Team under William “Pinky” Newell. If you were to ask her what her favorite thing about her job was, Kathy would have said “the people”. She got great joy from seeing her patients improve and graduate from therapy as well as working with and learning from her peers. She was the Manager of several PT clinics during her career.
Never one to stop growing and learning, Kathy earned an M.S. in Health Science from the University of Indianapolis and, later, an MBA, magna cum laude, from Anderson University, all while continuing to work and care for her family - a testament to her quiet determination and strength.
A devoted member of St. Mary's Catholic Church in Anderson, Kathy put her faith to work. She served on the Soup Kitchen Committee, cooked for the funeral dinners that fed grieving families, and gathered donations for the St. Vincent de Paul Society. She co-chaired its Friends of the Poor Walk and served on its committee for years. For 47 years she belonged to the Tri Kappa Sorority, where she chaired committees including Easter Eggs and Nuts fundraisers, served a term as President, helped organize a statewide conference, raised money for scholarships, served on State Fine Arts Committee, euchre group and championed one local cause after another. She also served as President and board member of the Anderson Area Children's Choir and Youth Chorale, and, when their daughter was at Purdue, she and David co-chaired the university's President's Council Parents Club.
Away from her work and her committees, Kathy kept life simple: her garden, walks in nature, her family close by. Those who knew her remember her warmth most of all.
For her whole working life, Kathy helped other people recover the use of their bodies. ALS slowly took the use of her own. Though it changed her life in every way, she met it with courage and grace.
Kathy was preceded in death by her parents, Hilda and Cyrus Buck, and her brother-in-law, Dick Luckerman. She is survived by her husband of 44 years, David Shapiro; her daughters, Elizabeth (David) Spitdowski of Atlanta, Georgia, and Stephanie (Victor) Wieczorek of Carmel, Indiana; her four siblings, Suzanne Luckerman, David (Patty) Buck, Robert (Jenny) Buck, and Dan Buck; six nieces and nephews, Brian (Jennifer) Luckerman, Lisa (Mark) Fletcher, Steven (Stephanie) Buck, Ryan (Elissa) Buck, Angie (Pete) Lamarre, and Chris (Jenny) Buck; and thirteen beloved great-nieces and nephews.
Visitation will be held at Rozelle-Johnson Funeral Service in Anderson, Indiana, on Thursday, May 28, 2026, from 4:00 to 8:00 p.m.
A Mass of Christian Burial will be in Anderson on Friday, May 29, 2026 at 11:00 a.m. at St. Mary's Catholic Church with Father Tom Metzger officiating. The burial will be at 2:30 p.m. on Friday at Our Lady of Peace Cemetery in Indianapolis, IN.
In lieu of flowers, memorial gifts may be made to St. Mary's Catholic Church, the St. Vincent de Paul Society, the ALS Association, or the Anderson Xi Chapter Tri Kappa scholarship fund.
Post online condolences at www.rozelle-johnson.com