Rosario “Rosie” S. Amato, Sr.

Rosario “Rosie” S. Amato, Sr., 83, passed away peacefully on November 28, 2025, with his family by his side. He was born on October 19, 1942. A man of traditional values, he was a member of Our Lady of Perpetual Help Church, Bethlehem. 

Rosie was preceded in death by his parents, Paul and Lucy (Amore) Amato, beloved wife and high school sweetheart, Kay (Williams) Amato, and by his daughter-in-law, Pamela (Schanstine) Amato. He is survived by his three children: his son, Rosario “Rusty” Amato, Jr.; his daughters and sons-in-law, Kristen and Chris Tilwick, and Adrienne and Marc Levey. He was the proud grandfather of Darren Stauffer, Jared Stauffer, Tyler Tilwick, Jacob Levey, Kayla Tilwick, Chase Levey, and Rocco Amato. In addition, his closest friend and brother, Charles “Chuck” Amato, and his wife, Peggy.

A graduate of Easton Area High School, Rosie continued his education at North Carolina State University, where he earned both his bachelor’s and master’s degrees. A gifted 3 sport athlete, he excelled in football and wrestling at Easton High School and went on to play Division I football at NC State on scholarship as an offensive tackle. He competed in several collegiate bowl games during his time with the Wolfpack.

Rosie was a well-known and respected figure in the Lehigh Valley Area. He was highly regarded in the world of wrestling. He was known as one of the top wrestling officials both locally and statewide. Rosie was chosen to officiate a record number of PIAA State Wrestling Championships.  Additionally, he was a high school wrestling assigner and evaluator. At the youth level he served as the local AAU Wrestling Tournament Director for over a decade. His dedication to athletics earned him induction into the District 11 Wrestling Hall of Fame and the National Football Foundation Hall of Fame. He also enjoyed a distinguished 25-plus-year career as an ACC Football Official, later serving as an ACC Instant Replay Official. Towards the end of his officiating career Rosie was appointed as the Supervisor of Football for the MEAC (Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference).

Professionally, Rosie began his career with Ford Motor Company then moved on to Mack Trucks.  The bulk of his career was spent working in management at Mack Printing Company in Easton, PA. Rosie was well respected and enjoyed great success at Mack while forging many lifelong friendships. He moved on to a Customer Service Director position for Brown Printing Company, before transitioning to an independent consultant. After retiring from the printing industry, Rosie returned to his passion for athletics serving as Athletic Director for the Wilson Area School District. He was also proud to serve the community for 16 years as a school board member for the Bethlehem Area School District. 

Above all else, Rosie’s greatest joy was his family. He was a devoted husband, father and grandfather who never missed the activities, sporting events, and milestones of those he loved. He cherished family trips to Bethany Beach, Delaware, and created lifelong memories during a special trip to Italy he treated his family in 2019. Rosie was known for his trademark cowboy hat at football games. He confronted every challenge head-on, whether professional, personal, or medical.  Rosie will be remembered as a man of great conviction, hard work ethic, unwavering loyalty, strong traditional values, and boundless generosity. His legacy lives on in the hearts of all who knew and loved him.

Family and friends may call on Friday December 5, 2025, from 5:00 – 8:00 pm at Finegan Funeral Home, 4080 William Penn Highway, Easton, PA. A Mass of Christian Burial will be held on Saturday December 6, 2025, beginning 11:00 am at Our Lady Of Perpetual Help Church, 3219 Santee Road, Bethlehem PA 18020.  Burial will follow at Northampton Memorial Shrine, Easton PA. Along with accepting flowers, donations can be made in Rosario Amato’s name to the American Cancer Society or the JDRF (formerly the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation).