Damani Camara

Damani Camara a/k/a Dave Butler January 5, 1935 - February 8, 2010 Damani Camara passed away February 8, 2010 at home in Denver, CO. He was 75 years of age. Born to Isaiah and Eileen (Anderson) Butler in Grand Junction, Colorado, the family moved to Richmond, CA where Damani attended Nystrom Elementary School. It was here that Damani was elected the first student body president. Damani graduated to Roosevelt Junior High School where he was elected seventh and eighth grade president. After moving back to Grand Junction, he attended and graduated from high school, where he was again elected student body president. After this election, and upon arriving home, his mother told him that while he was gone, a car filled with white men drove by the house twice, the men were armed with sticks and rifles. The following day at school, the principal held a special school assembly where he indicated that as long as he was the principal, Damani would remain the Student Body President. Damani was the only black student at Grand Junction High School at the time of his election. He was also a participant on the varsity football and track teams. Damani attended and graduated from Mesa Jr. College where he was a participant of the football and track teams and elected president of the Men's Student Association. After college, he joined the U.S. Marines. He attended and graduated from the University of Northern Colorado, Greeley where he was elected Presdient of the Human Rights Assocaition. He worked as a teacher and counselor at the State Hospital in Pueblo, CO after which he obtained employment as a Rehabilitation Counselor with the Department of Vocational Rehabilitation of the State of Colorado in Denver. Damani met his lovely wife, Ann Gonzales in Pueblo. From this union, the couple had three children, Lisa, Dedon and Reynalda. After a few years as a vocational rehab counselor, he was offered and accepted a counselor position with the University of Colorado, Boulder. Once his employment with University of Colorado ended, he became a talk show host with a radio station in Denver during which he also worked for the Colorado Department of Civil Rights, as a civil rights investigator. He retired from this position after 17 years. He then volunteered as a counselor with the Shaka Foundation for youth. This foundation provides multi services at no costs for the youths. During this time, Damani opened the first Black orientated bookstore in the entire Rocky Mountain Region. He also wrote articles in Denver Spectrum. As Damani went through high school and Mesa College, he had no better friend than Buddy Roberts. When Damani attended Greeley and through the rest of his days, he considered himself lucky to have a good friend, Les Franklin, whom he loved like a brother. Preceding Damani in death was his lovely wife, Ann Butler; daughter, Lisa; father, Isaiah; mother, Eileen, brothers, Donald and Henry and sister, Thelma Anthony. He is survived by his son, Dedan Butler; daughter, Reynalda; granddaughter, Whitney Butler of Denver; brothers, Harry (Danielle) Butler; Glen Butler; Richard (Betty) of OK; Leslie (Josie) of ID; sister, Iyona Hill of KS; numerous nephews and nieces and his lovely wife, Ann's family, whom he loved and cared for as his own.