Amanda R. Black
Amanda Ruth Black, born September 4, 1990, in Cleveland, died at home on August 13, 2018, after losing her long battle against depression, anxiety, and drug addiction. A sad ending for a beautiful soul.
Amanda was a complicated young woman who fought her personal demons every day. Her daily education had more to do with understanding and surviving life as a drug addict, and as a person with a mental-health disease. She had been in and out of detox and rehabilitation facilities many times. Since mid-May 2018, she was active in a Cleveland-area recovery program where she attended meetings and had a sponsor. Those close to Amanda knew of her constant struggle to overcome her addiction and lead a “normal” life.
As a child Amanda was exposed to the fine arts. She went to plays, concerts, art galleries, and museums with her parents and family. While in grade school, Amanda participated in Cleveland’s Parade the Circle events, and made floats and costumes with her mother, June Hund. She took guitar, cello, singing, and percussion lessons, and sang in the choir in high school. Her love of music was intense, eclectic, and spanned many styles including classical, folk, the Beatles, and Lana Del Ray. Like her father Gordon Black, Amanda enjoyed studying history and participated in Model UN. Amanda graduated from Brecksville/Broadview Heights High School in 2008.
After graduating, Amanda attended cosmetology courses at the Paul Mitchell School in Twinsburg, Ohio. She also took classes at Tri-C Community College. Amanda aspired to go into a field of counseling such as social work, art therapy, or drug counseling. She wanted to help others, like her, learn how to navigate life while living with mental-health and addiction issues.
Amanda had a beautiful, passionate but quirky soul. She was interested in politics and participated in canvassing during the last two presidential elections. She was also a total millennial, constantly communicating via cell phone texts and social media.
She had an artistic personality and a sensitive mind, and was also shy. She was spiritual, believed in mystical experiences, and identified with art and nature. She surrounded herself with music, books, movies, art, and her animal friends. She wrote poetry as a release and went to poetry slams receiving recognition for her writings. She also made collages, which were a means to express the issues that demonized her and others who had similar struggles and challenges. This past July she participated as an artist in the Slavic Village Rooms to Let event, collaborating with some friends on an installation of old beat-up tires painted in bright cheerful colors. Amanda painted the word “Hope” on one tire. She also helped her mom setup another installation in the same house. These accomplishments made her feel proud.
Like her parents, Amanda enjoyed travel and was fortunate to have opportunities to visit England, Europe, New Mexico, Hawaii, New York, Washington D.C., Pittsburg, Michigan, and Louisiana where she lived for two years. She had planned to travel to visit friends she knew across the United States.
Amanda held jobs in the food and restaurant industries. She was dedicated to serving her customers in each role, and her co-workers liked Amanda’s unique sense of humor and intelligence.
Ammanda leaves behind loving parents, June Hund and Gordon Black; grandmother Carole Olson Hund; aunts and uncles Kathie and Mike Nuttle, Cynthia and Roger Baker, Jonathan Hund and his daughter Ryan Elizabeth Hund, Bob Black, and her long-time companion Milan Bardo. She will also be missed by her many friends, and beloved feline companions Marley, Luna, and Jasper, and dog Avery.
A Celebration of the Life of Amanda Ruth Black will be held Saturday, October 13, 2018 from 2:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m. at Edgewater Park – Upper West Shelter [East side], 7800 Cleveland Memorial Shoreway Cleveland, Ohio 44102, there will be a Tibetan Buddhist prayer read in honor of Amanda’s Life at 5:00 pm.
Stop by to celebrate Amanda’s life with friends & family. Also, enjoy some of her favorite foods. This is an outside celebration.
If you have photos to share, please email me: hundjune@gmail.com
Memorial donations may be made to Stay-a-While Cat Shelter, 8800 Akins Road,North Royalton, Ohio 44144 440-582-4990 http://www.stayawhilecatshelter.org/donations/
Leave a condolence
Very sorry for your loss. I’m very sorry for the pain you must be going through. I will pray for you hopefully Amanda is in a better place where she is finally in peace
June and family,
I’m so sorry for your loss. Sending my love and support during this difficult time.
April
June,
My deepest condolences to you and your family – thoughts of comfort and prayers for you.
I am trying to accept the loss of Amanda. All of this time I have been rooting for her on the sidelines, hoping she would win the battle. I remember her as bright, beautiful, funny, and full of potential. She brought joy into our lives and now we feel unspeakable sorrow at her passing. Our thoughts and prayers are with you always.
I am in a way speechless but it’s because not many words can explain what an Amazing and Intelligent, interesting, artsy, complicated, passionate, soulful, and multi dimensional person Amanda was while with us here. She made me think that maybe the rest of us just hadn’t quite glimpsed some of the wondrous things to experience here she carried so much depth and that might be too much for a person in just one lifetime but I feel that despite her struggles in life she fought the good fight and she lived a life FULL of EXPERIENCE, EMOTION, JOY + PAIN. That to me is a life not everyone may leave behind. When Amanda felt something it was ALL of it. She was taken from us too soon but she lived an incredible and wondrous life. She was always creating something magical. She was Magic. A true Artist and when she cared about something or someone her ENTIRE HEART was in it. I know she felt that way about me! And what an incredible thing to know that. I love her like a sister and somewhere we lost touch, lost our way but I know we will meet again, my dear friend. My sister.
Amanda was a blessing she was never afraid to admit she had a problem or to say she was sorry when she made a mistake when she believed in something she was most passionate she wore her heart on her sleeve i miss our conversations about everthing dear in life rest in peace
I am so sorry for your loss. Amanda sounded like an amazing person.♥️
June,
I am so sorry for your loss. It was evident from your art piece in DT the struggle you, your family, and your daughter have been going through. I’m sorry I didn’t have the chance to meet her. Peace be with you and your family.
I’m heartbroken to learn of the loss of this lovely young woman. A beautiful, honest tribute to her. My thoughts and deepest sympathy to my dear friend, June, and all family and friends. Rest In Peace, Amanda.
June, i am so sorry for your tragic loss. I cannot wven begin to express my deepest condolences for you and family. If i can do anything for you, please do not hesitate to reach out.
Love to you, Grace
June, my dear friend of many years, I am so sorry to hear that your daughter has passed away. I am sorry and I wish to extend my condolences and love to you. Love, Mike
What a beautiful tribute. My heart is with all affected by this sad loss of life.
Amanda was a beautiful, smart and wonderfully witty young woman. I related to her way of thinking and enjoyed her antics when ever she visited with my daughter. Amanda will be sorely missed, her death is an unwavering reality of this generation. I send my condolences to her Mom, June, whom I met while our daughters were in treatment. Sam and Amanda became fast friends and her passing is still hard to believe. I trust her soul is at peace.