Amy Bernadette Whitledge, born July 24th, 1975, passed away unexpectedly on July 27, 2026, at her beloved mountainside home in Nederland, Colorado.

Always up for an adventure, Amy spent her life traveling and treasure hunting, and greeted everyone she met with her signature dazzling smile. Amy grew up in central Illinois, but found her home when she attended the University of Colorado Boulder. Her career as a nature photographer came naturally to someone who so easily saw the beauty in all aspects of life. She was a dedicated dog mom, the consummate hostess, a board game connoisseur, a foodie through and through, and certainly not a “quiet little girl in the corner.”

Amy packed so much life into her time here. Whether it was living in a tiny cabin at the base of Mt. Denali managing her gallery of aerial photography, dog sledding and rock climbing, leading a family tour around Iceland and Ireland, raising rescued ferrets, sampling all the food in Thailand, swimming with jellyfish and giant clams in Palau, exploring New Zealand in a camper van, experiencing Tokyo’s cherry blossom festival, scuba diving with sharks in Hawai’i, traveling with the Kratt brothers, or flying in the scout plane for Riley Spidel’s record-breaking coast-to-coast flight, she embraced every opportunity to experience a new corner of the world. No matter where she traveled, Amy rarely missed a get-together with her family. They will always remember her sneaking the first bite of turkey at Thanksgiving, leaving chocolates on the pillow for any visitors, taming a charm of mountain hummingbirds, and spreading her unbridled joy wherever she went.

Amy is survived by her parents, Curtis and JoEllen (Schepke) Knowles, and Horace G. and Teresa Whitledge; her brothers, Scott Whitledge, James Knowles, and Ryan (Michelle) Knowles, and nephew Ayden Knowles; and a large, close-knit group of aunts, uncles and cousins who will miss her dearly. She was preceded in death by her grandparents, Joseph and Frieda Schepke, and Helen Whitledge, and her beloved fur babies Sika, Dixie, and Buffy.