Amodeo, Joshua David

Joshua David Amodeo, beloved only son of April Lynette Easter Amodeo and Philip James Amodeo, was born August 25, 1993 in Salem, Virginia. Joshua passed away on August 26, 2022 at the age of 29.

Joshua is survived by his parents: April and Philip Amodeo; his seven sisters: Cassandra Lynette Gross, Caroline Alyse Amodeo, Danielle Ruth Amodeo, Marissa Rebecca Amodeo, Josalyn Elizabeth Amodeo, Emma Rose Amodeo and Liliana Isabel Amodeo; his grandparents: Leonard and Carole Easter, of Ararat, Virginia and Philip and Dorothy Amodeo, of Poughkeepsie, New York; a brother-in-law, and a host of aunts, uncles, cousins and special friends.

Joshua was most recently employed as a manager at Cook Out in Blacksburg, Virginia where he greeted everyone with a smile. He previously worked as a security guard for the Radford Arsenal and drove busses for the Blacksburg Transit. Joshua pursued excellence in every position he took on and quickly made friends with his colleagues wherever he went. His congenial nature put everyone at ease and he was most likely the one making everyone laugh. His wit was unparalleled and he was a prolific wordsmith.

Joshua was a graduate of Radford University where he excelled as a major in Criminal Justice as a proud Highlander. He relentlessly pursued his higher education while facing (and overcoming) numerous challenges that few were aware of because it was his nature to be private. Prior to attending Radford University, he was a Midshipmen for three years at the United States Naval Academy in Annapolis Maryland, which was a dream he had held dear to his heart from his teenage years. Joshua loved the structure of a military life and long desired to serve in the United States Navy, just as his great-grandfather had served in WWII. He chose to attend Hargrave Military Academy in Chatham, Virginia, entering as a 10th grader where he was a rising star and leader of Band Company. After his high school graduation, he attended the Kiski School in Saltsburg, Pennsylvania for one year as a Naval Academy Prep school student. At Kiski, he met several of his lifelong, dearest friends and they all went on to become Midshipmen together at the USNA.

Joshua was an incredibly complex person. He was as multifaceted as the d20 dice known as the icosahedron. His dice collection would be the envy of any dragon whom he loved to read about from early childhood. He loved his Dungeon & Dragons players, whom he played with weekly and was likely to be the Dungeon Master. He was an avid gamer and had his own you-tube channel. His friends were truly from all over the world and all will miss his lively chats and hysterical stories. He loved everything outdoors, from fishing to hiking to camping and more.

Joshua received the prestigious Eagle Scout award in early August of 2011. He was an active member of Scout Troop 706 in St Mary’s Catholic Church while being dual-enrolled in the scout troop for Hargrave Military Academy. He loved being Quarter Master more than any other position of leadership. It tickled him to no end to build fires and cook food for everyone. He was also a member of the Order of the Arrow. He spent many summers on Claytor Lake at Camp Powhatan, Camp Ottari and in the rustic Mountain Man camp.

One of his lifelong dreams was to be a published author. He had most recently finished a novel, along with countless short stories and poems. His writings are breathtaking and one day, they will be published in his honor. Joshua spent a lifetime writing about his observations as well as diving deeply into his imagination to bring out truly unique story lines.

He was a deeply spiritual young man and pursued understanding Scripture, as well as religious history, in a way that is rarely seen. While he disliked the traditional Bible Studies that were a required part of his Hargrave academic studies, he was consistently awarded the Bible Award, year after year. During his early teen years, he served his church faithfully as an altar server at St. Mary’s Catholic Church and he was confirmed in the Catholic faith in 2010.

Joshua’s memory will live on forever in our hearts and souls. He was truly the most gentle human being anyone could ever meet. His spirit was tender to anyone or anything that was in need and he was a Protector of all that he met. He could make most anyone smile, even in the darkest of moments and he had a gift of gab that would make anyone proud. He knew Right from Wrong and he spent his Life Making a Difference everywhere he went. There was no creature too small or too lowly to capture his attention. Joshua understood that Time stands still for no one and he spent his life reveling at the extraordinary in the most ordinary of moments.

His parents and sisters will receive Family and Friends at McCoy Funeral Home in Blacksburg, Virginia on Tuesday September 6th, from 6pm to 8pm. His Funeral Mass will be held at St Mary’s Catholic Church in Blacksburg, Virginia on September 7th, 2022 beginning at 2:30pm followed by a Processional to Westview Cemetery in Blacksburg, Virginia where he will be laid to rest. His parents are hosting a Celebration of Life at his lifelong family home immediately afterwards.

Please feel free to share any photos, videos or stories that you have. We will read every single one. We honor the time that you spent with our beloved Joshua and are grateful for the impact that you made in his life.

If you desire, any one of the following would make him smile, which would bring Joy to the hearts of his loved ones:

Plant a tree in his memory or support one of his favorite charities: local Scout Troops; American Red Cross; Wounded Warriors; Blacksburg Interfaith Food Pantry, and any organization that protects cats or other animals.