Kathryn M. Shapiro, 56 of Rumson died on Friday July 4^th at New York Presbyterian Hospital, New York City.

She was a graduate of Cherokee High School, Marlton, NJ and Kean University, where she met her future husband, Mark Shapiro. While attending Kean, Kathy was accepted into the Physical Therapy program at the University of Medicine and Dentistry. Kathy started her career in SOHO, NYC where she treated a wide range of patients, including boxers, ballerinas, athletes, and Wall Street executives.

Kathy opened her own Physical Therapy office in Tinton Falls.  Kathy would spend countless hours treating the young athletes of the community. Her compassion and unique ability to quickly get her patients better made her practice a success. People have said, once you meet Kathy, you weren’t just her patient, but you were her friend for life.

Kathy was certified in Neuro-Developmental Treatment (NDT) and treated patients with Cerebral Palsy, Strokes and head injuries. Most of her NDT treatments were done Pro bono.  Kathy helped one head injury patient communicate for the first time by creating an alphabet chart so he could point to letters to spell words.

Nothing was more important to Kathy than her family. She enjoyed cooking and loved making Sunday sauce for her family. She enjoyed long weekends visiting Ryan at High Point University, Nicole at Clemson University and Ava at Lehigh University. She loved to share a bottle of wine with Mark while sitting on their patio listening to music.

One of Kathy’s favorite things to do was travel. Summers often ended with a family trip to Long Beach Island, while winters she enjoyed visiting her mother Jane in Naples, Florida.  After retiring, she and Mark would often travel to France and Italy.

Kathy was an avid investor. She successfully invested in stocks, cryptocurrency, and real estate. 5 years ago, she moved into the house of her dreams in Rumson, NJ. At about the same time, Billie the dog became a new addition to her family. Kathy enjoyed walking Billie while listening to financial podcasts.

Surviving is her husband, Mark Shapiro; their children, Ryan Shapiro, Nicole Shapiro and Ava Shapiro; her mother, Jane, her brother and sister-in-law, James Diefendorf, IV and Elizabeth.  Her father, James Diefendorf III, passed away in 2023.

Visitation Sunday July 13^th, 1 to 5 pm at the Holmdel Funeral Home, 26 S. Holmdel Road, Holmdel. Mass of Christian Burial, Monday July 14^th at 10:30 am at Holy Cross RC Church, Rumson. Interment will follow at Mt. Olivet Cemetery, Middletown.

In lieu of sending flowers, please make a donation to the CJD Foundation using the following link: https://cjdfoundation.org/donate/