Louise Cleary Amos passed away at her home in Huntsville, Alabama on Monday, January 30, 2023. She was born Louise Faye Cleary in Springville, Alabama. Louise graduated from Ashville High School in Ashville, Alabama in 1945. She attended Jacksonville State Teachers College and then transferred to Alabama Polytechnic Institute (now Auburn University) where she graduated in 1949 with a degree in Home Economics. She took her first job as a teacher at Deshler High School in Tuscumbia, Alabama in 1949.
Louise married Jack Robert Amos in 1950, moved to Huntsville, and took a job in the Civilian Personnel Office on Redstone Arsenal. In 1954 she moved to West Lafayette, Indiana where she worked as a Graduate Assistant in the Dean of Women’s Office at Purdue University. Louise Earned a Master’s Degree in Counseling and Psychology and Secondary Education from Purdue University in 1955.
In 1956, Louise took a job as a teacher at Huntsville High School in Huntsville, AL. Three years later she accepted a job as the first guidance counselor for the Huntsville City Schools as the guidance counselor at Huntsville High School. This job started a lifelong love of career counseling, aptitude testing, job placement, and the resulting student achievement.
After spending the next eight years as the Guidance Department Chair and Senior Counselor for Huntsville High School, Louise spent four years as the Director of Guidance and Testing for the Huntsville City Schools. Louise then moved into school administration, serving as an Assistant Principal at Grissom High School in Huntsville, Alabama for fourteen years. During that time, she earned her AA Certification in Administration and Counseling from Auburn University. She completed her career by serving for four years as Principal of Huntsville Middle School. After retirement, she continued her lifelong commitment to student success by serving as a substitute in the Huntsville City Schools and serving as an adjunct instructor of Psychology for Calhoun Community College. Countless students in North Alabama have benefited from her dedication and passion to ensure that every child received an excellent education and also received career guidance and counseling that helped position them for success both in higher education and in the workforce.
Louise was active in numerous professional, civic, and religious organizations including Delta Kappa Gamma, the Daughters of the American Revolution, and Trinity United Methodist Church.
Louise was preceded in death by her husband of 65 years, Jack Robert Amos, by her parents, Bereman LeRoy Cleary and Bertie Lee Jones, and by her brother, James Roy Cleary.
Survivors include two sons, Robert Cleary Amos (Jeanne) and Richard William Amos (Joyce); grandsons, Grayson Ryan Amos (Jane) and Randall Denoon Amos (Kelly); granddaughters, Christina Amos Reddy (Nate) and Katherine Amos Beasley (David); great-grandchildren, Layla Grace Amos, Henry James Reddy, Emma Francis Reddy, Lilyana Jane Amos, and Jack Maddox Beasley; sister-in-law, Voncille James Cleary; and nieces, Johanna Lynn Cleary and Susan Cleary Sommers (Bill).
The family would like to take the opportunity to thank the numerous individuals and organizations who provided exceptional medical care and support to Louise during the last years of her life. In particular, the family wishes to express their heartfelt appreciation to Dorothy Gaines who nurtured and cared for both Louise
and Jack for over 13 years.
Visitation will be from 2 to 3 p.m. Sunday, February 5th at Trinity United Methodist Church. The funeral service will follow at the church with the Rev. Mac Buttram officiating. Burial will be in Maple Hill Cemetery.
Memorials may be made to the Building Maintenance Fund at Trinity United Methodist Church, 607 Airport Road, Huntsville, AL, 35802.
