CARY, N.C. - Amanda Jane Barnette, known affectionately as Mandy and AJ, passed away Aug. 29, 2024, at 3:07 p.m. at REX Hospital in Raleigh, North Carolina. She was born Feb. 27, 1965, in Cooperstown.

Amanda was the youngest of four children, along with David, Victoria, and Megan. She was predeceased by her mother, Pamela Lloyd, and her father, Eugene Osborne Smith. She is survived by her siblings, her ex-husband, Scott Barnette, and her beloved children, Nicholas, Alexander, and Isabella.

Amanda attended and graduated from Morris Central School, where she was loved by so many, excelling in athletics and serving a term as class president. Amanda was a proud Air Force veteran who served from October 1985 to October 1989 at Luke Air Force Base in Arizona. During her time serving, she was awarded Airman of the Year. She later attended college at William Patterson but withdrew to start her family. In 2017, she re-enrolled in college at Fayetteville State University, where she earned her BS in psychology. She completed a certificate program in addiction counseling in 2023 through East Carolina University, with eventual aspirations to pursue a master's degree. Unfortunately, her studies were cut short by her battle with cancer.

Amanda devoted herself to her children's education and extracurricular activities. Her exceptional listening skills and compassionate advice benefitted her family and friends. Her selflessness, strength, courage, and love emanated from all she did.

Amanda's legacy will continue to be cultivated by her three remarkable and beloved children, whom she raised with unwavering dedication. She guided them through life's challenges and set them on a path to success.

Instead of flowers, the family requests that donations made in Amanda's memory be directed to a cancer institute and Saving Grace Animal Shelter in Wake Forest, North Carolina—an organization dear to her heart where she rescued her beloved dog, Abby. Mandy would have celebrated her 60th birthday at the end of this month.