March 13, 1955 – November 24, 2025
Peggy J. (Cox) Amadio was born on March 13, 1955, in Kenosha, Wisconsin, to William J. Cox and Mary Jeanne (Schierling) Cox. A lifelong Kenoshan, she attended Lincoln Elementary and Lincoln Junior High School. She graduated from Tremper High School in 1973. On May 24, 1980, she married the love of her life, Anthony (Tony) Amadio.
Peggy studied art at UW-Parkside and early childhood education at Carthage College. Later in life, she returned to school and earned an associate’s degree in graphic arts from Gateway Technical College. She was a gifted illustrator and painter throughout her life.
She had enormous compassion for others and dedicated many years of her life to working with children. For 15 years, Peggy served as a special education teacher’s assistant at various schools within the Kenosha Unified School District. She also taught early childhood education at New Nursery, which was part of St. Joseph’s High School in Kenosha. Over the years, she also worked at Kenosha National Bank, Quality Carriers, and Jacobsen Manufacturing. Before retiring, she spent many years dedicating her creative design skills to the Volunteer Center of Racine.
In addition to working full-time and being a full-time mom, Peggy also ran her own arts and crafts business, called “What’s Next?,” for over 15 years with her husband, Tony. Together, they sold her handmade crafts and artwork at various fairs and events throughout Wisconsin.
When her daughter was young, Peggy taught religious education at Holy Rosary School and served as a Girl Scouts leader. She volunteered often and showed up to every school and sports event (and there were many!). She was an incredibly devoted and caring parent and saw her role as a mom as the central mission of her life. One of her greatest joys later in life was becoming a grandmother, and she was equally dedicated to her granddaughter, Nina.
Peggy and Tony celebrated 45 years of marriage in 2025. Peggy’s exceptional sense of humor, creativity, compassion, and ability to face anything head-on defined who she was. She helped without judgment and stepped in with genuine willingness whenever someone needed her. A lifelong fan of The Who and Motown, she loved live music and comedy (from big concerts to small shows), along with dancing and watching her favorite movies and TV shows with Tony.
After her retirement, Peggy found a second home at the Kenosha Senior Center. The friends she made there became like a second family, and she loved creating dozens of funny, customized T-shirts for them and for her family and friends. She found great joy in giving gifts and making others happy.
Peggy was officially diagnosed with ALS in 2024 and died from the disease on November 24, 2025. She will be terribly missed by her husband Tony, daughter Abbie, son-in-law Sean (Beatty), and granddaughter Nina, as well as by countless friends, family members, and loved ones.
She is preceded in death by her parents and sister (Vicki Hassett). In lieu of flowers, consider a donation to the Kenosha Senior Center.
A celebration of life will be held at Proko Funeral Home on Saturday, January 10, 2026, from 10:00 a.m. until the time of service at 12:00 p.m.
