Amedeo Richard Deangelis, Jr.

RALEIGH - Amedeo Richard DeAngelis, Jr. passed away peacefully on Wednesday, October 20th after several years of declining health. He was 85. Born May 3, 1936 in Reading, Pennsylvania to Amedeo Sr. and Josephine DeAngelis, Amedeo was the oldest of four children. “Dick,” as he was known to many, attended Reading High School where he excelled at football. He attended N.C. State University on a football scholarship and graduated in 1957 with a degree in Education. It was during this time that he met his late wife Elizabeth “Betty” Jane Nemmers, to whom he was happily married for 49 years. Amedeo’s ability to touch the lives of others, from his neighbors to his grandchildren, was immense. His warm spirit invited all people into his life, and his ability to crack a joke with anyone who was willing to listen made people feel connected to him. He held a strong value for making everyone he met feel respected, and his actions were always rooted in kindness and a purpose to uplift others. His generosity was boundless, and his character exemplified his willingness to take the shirt off his back for a person in need. Amedeo was passionate about the things he loved; it was this passion that fueled many great successes in his life, from serving as the center of a wonderful family to excelling at his personal pursuits. During his football career at N.C. State, he was a pivotal member of the Wolfpack’s first ever ACC Championship team coached by the late Earle Edwards. After graduating, he served for several seasons as a defensive coach for Wolfpack football freshman teams that featured numerous NFL players. In 1963, Amedeo and Betty opened Amedeo’s Italian Restaurant, which was based on two of his core values-- love and family. Amedeo’s legacy goes far beyond opening one of Raleigh’s first iconic Italian restaurants. He gave people a place to go to that felt like home, where you were treated like family-- his family. Whether it was his employees or his friends and customers, he loved them all and treated them the same: with kindness and respect. There are so many things that will be missed about Amedeo, from his timeless jokes to his huge heart. His legacy will live on through the family members who loved him endlessly and through the meaningful impact he made on those who were lucky to have known him. Surviving are his daughter, Jan DeAngelis of Wilmington; daughter, Jill DeAngelis and her husband Dave Parker of Raleigh; son, Richard Amedeo DeAngelis and his wife LuGina of Raleigh; son, John DeAngelis of Raleigh; two sisters, Stella Jo DeAngelis Paul and Sandra DeAngelis Peace both of Raleigh; brother, Lou DeAngelis and his wife, Beverly of Winterville, NC; grandchildren: Megan, Harry, Anna, Katie, Mary Grayson, David, Lexi, Lindsay, Gabriel and Giovanni and great grandchild, Elizabeth Jane. The family wishes to thank the staff at Heartland Hospice of Raleigh-Durham, UNC Rex Hospital and Raleigh Rehabilitation Center for their compassionate care. A funeral mass has been scheduled for 10:00 am on Monday, October 25th at the Holy Name of Jesus Cathedral in Raleigh. In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to the NC State Wolfpack Club, C/O Amedeo DeAngelis Memorial Scholarship Fund, PO Box 37100, Raleigh, NC 27627. Funeral arrangements are by Bryan-Lee Funeral Home of Raleigh. Online condolences may be made at www.bryan-leefuneralhome.com