Edna Amato

Edna Jo Hill Amato, 84, passed away peacefully on Thursday, February 8 at Lexington Country Place.

Edna Jo was born February 20, 1933 in Prestonsburg, KY to Dr. Alexander Lackey Hill and Mary Pumphrey Hill. She was the youngest of four children: Jack Kendall (Miram) Hill, Myra (Kenneth) Aitken of Frankfort, and Mary (Edgar)

DeShazer of Frankfort. After her father's death, the family moved to Frankfort where Edna attended Second Street and Frankfort High School, graduating as Salutatorian in 1950.

Edna married her beloved spouse Joe Amato in 1956 and they had four children: Jean (Alan) Dorton, Versailles; Bill (Tracie) Amato, Wilder; David Amato, Tallahassee, FL; and Bob (Carmen) Amato, Frankfort. Edna was a loving wife and mother who enjoyed entertaining family and friends. She was known for extending the dining room table in her home to accommodate everyone gathered to enjoy family favorite recipes of lasagna or brusseletinis. Edna appreciated beauty in many forms and expressed this in her love of gardening, art, music and dancing. She was office manager for the Kentucky Arts Commission for many years, and was honored for her dedication to the arts in Kentucky when she retired.

An active member of the Frankfort Garden Club, she beautified her home on Versailles Road and maintained public gardens in downtown Frankfort. She was a member of First United Methodist Church where she was organist, directed the youth choir, and participated in the hand bell choir. She was also beloved by Good Shepherd Parish, which she attended regularly with Joe and her children. Edna and Joe loved square dancing and ballroom dancing and danced with groups in Lexington and Lakeland, Florida. Edna enjoyed golf and tennis at Frankfort Country Club and traveled the world and throughout the US. Edna's family and many friends remember her generous and gracious spirit that she always expressed in her beautiful smile, kind words, and giving of her time and treasure.

Edna is survived by her children, sisters, 13 grandchildren, and many nieces, nephews and friends. She was preceded in death by her parents, husband and brother.