Born Denise Regina Jameson in Adelaide, South Australia, Denise Amato grew up spending much time on the Australian coast, enjoying the beautiful coastal climate. Her mother was a homemaker and her father a policeman. She has a twin brother and sister. In the late '60s, Denise and her family moved from Adelaide to Las Vegas, where she completed her schooling. Her design skills were quickly recognized, and she soon went to work for the noted architect, Lee Linton, on the redesign and expansion of Caesar's Palace Resort & Casino in Las Vegas. She continued to work on many projects in Las Vegas throughout her life. At the request of a major U.S. architectural firm, Denise came to Oregon, where she fell in love with the state and subsequently used Portland as her base of operations. She continued to work with architectural firms throughout her career as a consultant designer. Denise felt that some of the work she did for them in Oregon and California was the commercial highlight of her career. Denise and Steven met in 1976 in connection with their work. They joined hands in marriage in Newport in 1981, forging a partnership in love as well as business that continues to this day. Newport and the surrounding coast was one of their favorite places, and for many years they maintained a second home in Bayshore, Ore., just north of Waldport. Over the years, Denise and Steven opened fine art galleries and custom framing operations throughout the West Coast, including Beverly Hills and Carmel, Calif., Salishan Lodge, Beaverton and Lake Oswego. During this time they maintained her 10,000 square foot base gallery in the Merchant Hotel Building in Old Town, Portland, where they achieved great success promoting and selling contemporary Chinese art and avant-garde custom framing unlike any other. Denise also was an avid art collector specializing in contemporary Chinese, Northwest Coast, Inuit and Southwest Indian art. In the interior design field, Denise's specialty was kitchen and custom drapery, and she continued to design and make some of the most exotic and unique pieces of one-of-a-kind furniture for her clients' unique homes. Her creativity extended to her true love-ethnic dance. Well versed in Hawaiian, Tahitian and Flamenco, Denise's dance passion was Danse Orientale and folkloric Middle Eastern dance and music. Locally, she organized events with Michael Beach of Brothers of the Baladi. Closest to her heart is the Wednesday Night Belly Dance showcase she organized and hosted with Michael Beach and Arabesque for many years. She had a beautiful dance studio built in her home and became a much-sought-after dance instructor. She will be greatly missed by her friends, students and dance sisters. Denise's family wishes to thank the vast number of true friends who helped see her through her illness from the beginning to the very end. Helping in every way possible, their assistance, constant concern and prayers have been truly remarkable. It is impossible to fully express her family's deep gratitude for all they have done.

Denise is survived by her husband, Steven Amato; brother, Michael Jameson and his family of Paris, France; sister, Vivian Ziedman of Las Vegas; and dear aunt, Elka Rogers. She will also be deeply missed by her extended family, including brothers,and sisters-in-law, Dr. Daniel and Gretchen Amato, and Charles and Lori Amato; and most of all by her mother-in-law, Norma Amato, whom Denise loved as her true mother. A viewing will be from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday, Aug. 5, 2011, at Wilhelm's Portland Memorial Funeral Home. A funeral will be at 11 a.m. Saturday, Aug. 6, 2011, at St. Phillip Neri Catholic Church, 2408 S.E. 16th Ave. Private vault interment will be at Wilhelm's Portland Memorial.

Published in The Oregonian
on August 3, 2011