She was born on August 7, 1880, the fifth of six children born to Eugène du Pont, grandson of DuPont founder Éleuthère Irénée du Pont (1771–1834). Amy"s mother and namesake, Amélia Elizabeth du Pont, was also born a du Pont, granddaughter of Charles I. du Pont (1797–1869), brother of Éleuthère Irénéest
Eugène was the first head of the modern DuPont corporation, seeing the corporation into the 20th century. An ardent horsewoman, she was injured in a fall from a horse in 1954 that restricted her activities. She died on February 16, 1962 at age 86, following a stroke at her home in Montecito, near Santa Barbara.
She was buried at Santa Barbara Cemetery.
Du Pont was a major benefactor of the University of Delaware. She served on the University of Delaware Board of Trustees" Advisory Committee on the Women"s College from 1939–1944.
In 1939, she and her attorney, Judge Hugh M. Morris, founded the Unidel Foundation, a private charitable organization whose mission is "to aid and promote higher education in the State of Delaware, and to increase, enlarge and improve the scientific and educational advantages and opportunities of its people by gifts and contributions." Without any children, Amy willed much of her inheritance to the Unidel Foundation, including DuPont and Hercules Incorporated. stock valued at some $25 million at her death in 1962. By the end of the 20th century, Unidel provided more than $112 million to university programs.
In 1973, the Unidel Foundation helped build the Amy East. du Pont Music Building in her honor.
lieutenant houses the university"s department of music
