John Anthony Amaro
April 1, 1947 – March 18, 2024
Dr. John A. Amaro
Dr. John A. Amaro passed away on March 18, 2024, at his Double Canyon Ranch estate in Carefree/Cave Creek, Arizona, where he loved to ride his horses and donkeys and enjoy his cats.
John is survived by his wife of 34 years, Dr. Debra Richel; nephew Dr. Frank Ferguson and wife Kim Ferguson; great-nephews Billy Ferguson, Christopher Ferguson, and Vincent Ferguson, all of Kansas City, Missouri; and his brother-in-law Michael Wimmer of Liberty, Missouri.
After serving as a medic in the Army, John became a “first-responder ambulance driver” in Kansas City, which initiated the first “paramedics” in the nation. He was a 1969 graduate of Cleveland Chiropractic College and went on to study acupuncture and Asian Healing concepts in nine Asian nations. He successfully created a practice in Kansas City, the International Academy of Medical Acupuncture (IAMA), and Acu-International Supplies, Inc., educating thousands of physicians worldwide on how to treat patients utilizing natural medicine and Asian healing and acupuncture principles with manual chiropractic techniques.
In 1984, he moved his home, practice, and businesses to Carefree, Arizona, and John was joined there by Debra in the early 1990s. The IAMA and Acu-International Supplies continue today, educating physicians and providing high-quality “tools of the trade” for the profession.
John was an author, motivational public speaker, inventor who revolutionized acupuncture diagnosis, healer, and a passionate physician who cared for his patients, family, and friends. He will be remembered for his ability to charm, entertain, and have “a story to tell” and “a hand to give” to whomever he met.
Services were held on April 15, 2024, at 11:00 a.m. at Holy Rosary Church in Kansas City, Missouri. In lieu of flowers, contributions can be made to:
Kentuckiana Children’s Chiropractic Center, a non-profit organization since 1957 providing for special needs children unable to live independently (1810 Brownsville Road, Louisville, KY 40206; Phone: 502-893-7227).
Wild At Heart, an Arizona non-profit organization for raptor rescue organization, rehabilitation, release, and education (31840 N. 45th St., Cave Creek, AZ 85331; Phone:480-595-5047; www.WildAtHeartOwls.org).
