John Cammarata

Santa Fe - On the morning of February 14, 2024, John Cammarata passed away peacefully in his sleep. He was raised in Lodi, NJ, and moved to New Mexico in 1978. He worked at Santa Fe Indian School for the past 45 years as a dorm advisor, mentor, teacher, club sponsor, and counselor. He guided and inspired thousands of students, often becoming part of their families. He challenged the students to open their minds to multiple perspectives on any topic they encountered.
He was preceded in death by his parents, John and Ida Cammarata, his brother-in-law, Kevin Conklin, along with aunts, uncles, and cousins. He is survived by his wife Beth (Menegus) Cammarata, his sons John and Michael, his sister Diane Conklin, and his nephew Kevin C. Conklin.
John received recognition for many aspects of his professional career. He created an award-winning substance abuse prevention program recognized by Governor Toney Anaya. Among his many awards were Key Club Advisor of the Year, Kiwanis Advisor of the Year, and School Counselor of the Year. At the students' request, he was recognized for his achievements in the City of Santa Fe and State of New Mexico with "John Cammarata Day" on his birthday in 1999.
A Celebration of John's Life will be held on Saturday, March 9th, at the SFIS Pueblo Pavilion from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. (MDT). The event will be live streamed for those who are unable to attend. Check the school website (sfis.k12.nm.us) for the link.