Beloved husband and father, Douglas M. Amedeo of Lincoln, passed away Wednesday December 4, 2019. Korean War Veteran, Professor of Geography, researcher, author and mentor. Born September 21, 1932, in Brooklyn, NY, the son of Guido and Jean (Gong) Amedeo. Married to Patricia Herriott for 42 years.
Doug believed in a moral and humane God that formed the basis of his values of honesty, integrity, tolerance, understanding, concern, compassion and love, which guided his interactions with those in his life. His love for his family was unconditional.
Doug grew up in a multi-ethnic neighborhood lined with brown stone buildings, where he attended Nativity BVM Catholic School. He left high school at the age of 17 to join the army and see the world. After a brief time in Japan, he served in the Korean War for 13 months. Upon honorable discharge, Doug returned to Brooklyn, and then moved to Chicago. There he worked as a restaurant specialty chef before becoming meat market manager for the A&P grocery chain. In order to be considered for regional promotion, he returned to night school and earned his HS diploma from Chicago Central YMCA High Schools while continuing to work days. During this time he married Donna Fandre, and they were later blessed with two daughters, Cynthia and Elizabeth.
Encouraged by his HS counselors, Doug chose to pursue a bachelor’s degree at Wisconsin State University at Eau Claire. In 1962, he graduated Magna Cum Laude with a BS in economics. His desire for additional educational experiences took him to the University of Iowa where he earned his master’s and doctorate degrees in geography with an economics minor in 1965 and 1967, respectively. His first academic position was as assistant professor in the School of Social Sciences at the University of California-Irvine. During his five year tenure, Doug took a year’s leave of absence to pursue a post-doctorate in Regional Science at the Graduate School of Design at Harvard University.
In 1972, he moved to Lincoln to accept a tenured position as associate professor in the Geography department, thus beginning a 45 year career of teaching and research at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. He was a leader in environmental perception and behavioral geography, focusing his career on the human dimensions of environmental and spatial issues. During the course of his career, he published and presented more than 70 invited chapters, articles, and papers plus co-authored two books; he was working on a third at the time of his death. Doug’s research was augmented by his membership in the professional organizations of IAPS, AAG, and especially EDRA in which he was active for forty years. He was a co-director and editor of their 14th annual international conference. He also was a permanent member on the editorial review board for two professional journals: Environment and Behavior and Journal of Architectural Planning Research.
In 1992 Doug was promoted to full professor, followed by an appointment as department interim chairman, then chairman, for a total of four years. He served on more than 18 university committees and advised nearly 20 graduate students in pursuit of their doctoral degrees. He continued to mentor and inspire students after becoming professor emeritus in 2014.
When not involved in academic pursuits, Doug enjoyed traveling, attending musical and live theatre performances, listening to music of all genres (particularly opera and Gilbert & Sullivan operettas), reading newspapers and fiction, feeding the birds, playing with the family cats and giving milk-bones to the neighbors’ dogs. Vacations always included time for bumming around, people-watching, baseball games and indulging in local bakery offerings.
Survived by his wife Pat; daughters Cynthia Amedeo Nelson of Lincoln and Elizabeth Amedeo Stigleman (Marty) of Midland, Michigan.
He is preceded in death by parents; sisters Virginia Tolan and Carol Pinto; and aunt Ruth Fiorello.
As the first anniversary of Doug’s transcendence from this physical realm approaches, a celebration of life will be held with Military Honors at 1:00 p.m., Friday, November 6, 2020 at Wyuka Funeral Home, Lincoln. Cremation. Private inurnment. Masks are required and social distancing will be practiced in consideration for all in attendance. In lieu of flowers, memorials suggested to women’s, children’s or animal charities.
Service may viewed by livestream: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCHBNa9PtwERLt1Xr9vZMrFg
Dear Cindy and Family, I am so sorry to hear of Doug Amedeo’s passing. He was a fine colleague, and I know how much you loved him. I send my deepest sympathy.
So nice to hear from you!
Pat,
My deepest sympathy on the loss of your beloved Doug. He was a kind man.
Dale Zimmerman
Sorry to hear of Doug’s death. He was always fun to talk to and to exchange small talk.
Pat, Your devotion to Doug is inspiring. Prayers for you, Cynthia, and Elizabeth and extended family.
Pat, I am so sorry to hear this news. When I think of my 45 years that I knew him, I feel sad and yet at the same time, I have smiles remembering the many discussions that we had sharing our professional love of the field of Geography as a discipline. When I came for an interview for the job at UNL, I remember vividly Doug saying “lets dispense with the normal questions everyone else is asking, I want to know more about you as a person”. When we were done, he know all about my life as a graduate student at the University Toronto and I heard all about his career from being a graduate student to then being a faculty member at UNL.
Dear Pat:
Doug was one of my best friends in Geography, dating from our student days at Iowa on through our respective careers as university professors. He was one of a kind, coming from pretty rough origins in Brooklyn, going through hell as a soldier in the Korean War, then finishing high school in Chicago at night while working as a meat cutter by day. From there he began his professional life. Doug could spot hypocrisy and pomposity a mile away but always turned it into something humorous. He was a great guy who was never given credit for all that he contributed. I will miss knowing he is still around.
I remember Dad talking fondly of you from my earliest childhood. He truly valued your friendship.
Dear Pat,
I am sad to hear about your loss. You and your family are in my thoughts and prayers during this difficult time.
Dear Pat,
I am so very sorry to hear of your loss. I always enjoyed running into Doug and you as you walked around campus on your lunch breaks and having our little chats, oftentimes about our cats. Doug was always so friendly, and I enjoyed hearing that Brooklyn accent since it reminded me of growing up in the NYC area. May fond memories give you some relief from your grief. Be extra kind to yourself during this difficult time.
Sorry to hear of your loss. Blessings to you all during this time.
Pat: So sorry for your loss. You and Doug were devoted to each other. I remember him sending you beautiful flowers at the Health Center. What a wonderful husband. My sincerest condolences. Look forward to hugging you in the spring at one of our lunches.
I met and enjoyed Doug during workouts at the Y, and was saddened to read of his passing. May I extend my sincere condolences to his family and friends..
Pat: I delighted in conversations with Doug over the years. No matter what we talked about; work, travel, cats, or the neighborhood, he delivered a spark to conversation that was contagious. Holding you in prayer!
Pat: So sorry for the passing of Doug. You were a beautiful couple and he will be missed. Our sincere condolences to you and your family.
Dear Pat and Family – I’m sorry to learn of Doug’s passing. I didn’t know Doug Well, but he would often stop by my desk whenever he was on the 9th floor of SNR and we would chat for a few minutes. My sincere sympathy to all of you. – Sharon Kelly (retired secretary to the Director of SNR)
Dear Pat, I’ve thought of you often since I saw you at the hospital last spring, I’m so sorry to learn of Doug’s passing. My deepest sympathy to you and family.
Pat–I just saw this. I wish for you many wonderful memories to warm your heart as you heal. Carolyn
So sorry to hear of Douglas passing. He was my uncle, my Mom was Virginia Tolan. Never got to really know him but felt like I did through what Carol Pinto would tell me. My condolences to the family.
Thank you. Dad loved his sisters and told me about them. I’m sad that our extended family hasn’t gotten to know each other. Thank you for your lovely thoughts.
Sorry to hear of the passing of my uncle Doug. I am a son of his sister Virginia. Sounds like he had a very fulfilling life. I never met Doug and wish I had. God bless.
Thank you for your thoughts. Dad loved his sisters and told us about them. Wish our extended family had all known each other personally.
I am so sorry for your loss, Pat. Your journey is difficult, but stay busy and lean on family and friends.
Doug was my academic advisor at the Dept. Of Geography UN-L for my M.A studies. He was truly inspirational, brilliant, perceptive, original, fun & cultured & it was a privilege to share his vast knowledge & to be directed by him for my M.A thesis. We exchanged newsy E- mails from time to time after I returned to the U.K. Doug was unforgettable, a huge presence & tremendous influence on my academic life 1974-1978 as a Grad. Student from the United Kingdom. I only just found out of his passing via his UN-L obit.sent to me by Robert Abbey, one of his Ph.D students. I am truely saddened as is Robert. Yours sincerely
The passing of Richard Lonsdale, Douglas Amedeo and Robert Stoddard marks the closing of what was then an exciting and often provocative era in geography at Nebraska. Curiously, it opened my own wider explorations in sociology and the arts, leading to my current work in the Jane Addams Research Center in St. Joseph, Michigan. Thank you Doug.