John F. Amendola was born in Long Island, New York in 1930 during the Golden Age of Aviation, where as a boy, he developed a life-long love of aviation. Record setters, famous test pilots and manufacturing companies were all there, to include Jimmy Doolittle and Jaqueline Cochran, Republic Aircraft Co. and Grumman.

John started drawing at an early age and remembers day-long bike rides out to the airports to meet the pilots, kick the tires, and become immersed in aviation. John used his artistic ability during his service in the Army, Air Force, and Naval Reserves. He was schooled at Pratt Institute and Art Center and also has an aeronautical engineering background. He began work for the early U.S. Space Program in 1959. As a concept artist, John worked on such projects as the Lunar Program designing the concept mock-ups of the Lunar Lander, various space shuttles, reentry vehicles, and rovers. His work has been found in national print for over six decades to include accounts with Automobile Quarterly, The Smithsonian Institute, Time Life Books, and other nationally Known companies. His experience is broad from bottle labels to cover art for several plastic model companies, books, and magazines.

John retired from the Boeing Aircraft Company as their lead illustrator in 1995, and moved to Saratoga Springs, Utah with his cherished wife, Wendy, in 2012. Together, they spent sixty devoted years raising a family and building a legacy. John was larger than life. Weekends were spent at boat races, classic car meets, Fly-ins and Church activities. Conversations around the dinner table were lively and intriguing with his childhood escapades, military exploits, and uncanny occurences in his adulthood. He captivated listeners with the substance of his stories and the style of his delivery. John loved his family. He always made them feel like their visit and their presence was a blessing to his life. He expressed his love freely and complemented lavishly.

He is survived by his 4 devoted children, their spouses, 18 grandchildren with their 10 spouses, 13 great grandchildren with 4 more on the way, a grand total of 53 souls. We love you and will miss you, Dad.  Private family services were held.