Amanda E. Lukaszeski, 43, of Locust Grove, VA., entered eternal rest on November 23 at home following a year-long battle with ovarian cancer. She passed away while surrounded by her loved ones. She is survived by her parents, Robert and Valerie Lukaszeski, of Campbell Hall, NY, her siblings, Megan Lukaszeski, of York, UK, and Christopher Lukaszeski, of Lancaster PA., her long-term partner Paul Bello, of Locust Gove, VA., and extended family including her aunts Marion and Cecilia Daverin, aunt Diane and Uncle Bill Ingolia of Queens, NY, her niece, Anya, and many beloved cousins. She is pre-deceased by her sister, Samantha and uncle, John Daverin.
Amanda was born October 24, 1979 in Brooklyn, NY, and grew up in Goshen, NY. In high school, she participated in cheerleading and track and field, as well as theater production. Her love of the theater would continue as she attended SUNY Orange, where she participated in several theater productions as a stage manager.
She later transferred to SUNY New Paltz, graduating with a bachelor’s degree in Asian Studies with a Japanese minor. Her love of the Japanese language led her to spend a year studying abroad in Japan. Along the way, Amanda would also follow up on her passion geology and take part in geological excursions to the Grand Canyon in Arizona, Zion National Park in Utah, and Grand Teton National Park in Wyoming.
A lifelong and proud New Yorker, the already well-travelled Amanda would move to Virginia in June of 2007 to begin a new career in the field of information technology and software development. Over the years, she would work alongside and become friends with many wonderful people while representing U.S. agencies at Fort Belvoir, the Pentagon and Crystal City #9.
Keeping busy in the office didn’t stop Amanda from volunteering, either. Over the course of a decade, she would serve various roles for the Katsucon Entertainment Convention held annually at the Gaylord Hotel at the National Harbor in Maryland. Because of the many friends she made during this experience, Amanda would often remark that it was one of the most personally rewarding times of her life.
In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to local animal rescues or shelters. Amanda loved animals dearly, especially her own beloved cats Lilith Sage, Azlan and Mercedes. She would want that more than anything else.
