Kontar “Tonee” Mwamba, who served as a combat medic during Operation Desert Storm and later chaired the board of a leading Latino advocacy organization in Colorado, has died. He was 42.
“He was a remarkable young man, incredibly bright and so dedicated,” said Polly Baca, a former state senator. “He really wanted to make the world a better place, and he did.”
Mwamba, who died of a massive stroke on New Year’s Eve, was the third generation of his family to serve in the military.
Originally from Chicago, Mwamba lived in Colorado for 25 years.
In 2007, he joined the board of advocacy group the Latin American Research and Service Agency. As its chairman, he helped to facilitate the group’s merger with the Latino Forum Leadership Center, a transition that led to formation of the Colorado Latino Leadership Advocacy and Research Organization.
“He made sure we crossed our T’s and dotted our I’s and really did what we were supposed to do in terms of advocacy,” Baca said.
He also served on the Colorado board of the New America Schools Network, a group of public charter high schools in Colorado, New Mexico and Arizona. The schools serve recent immigrants and their families and children who want to learn or perfect English and earn a high school diploma.
“To him, it didn’t matter what color you were,” Baca said. “It mattered to him how he could help you to help improve the world.”
Mwamba was a vice president of Denver financial planning firm Pinnacor Financial Group and a partner and portfolio manager of Ocomane Financial Service.
He received a bachelor’s degree from the University of Colorado, where he served as student body president.
He is survived by his wife, Jonabelle; two daughters, Kiah and Kahli; his mother, Beverly Blackwell; his father, Charles Blackwell, and his wife, Linda; his grandparents, the Rev. Russell and Elizabeth Brown; a stepson and a stepdaughter, John and Effie; and stepsisters Danielle and Amber.
Mwamba’s wake will be from 4 to 8 p.m. Thursday at the Caldwell-Kirk Mortuary, 2101 Marion St. in Denver.
A viewing at Colorado Community Church, 2220 S. Chambers Road in Aurora, will take place at 10 a.m. Friday, followed by funeral services at 11 a.m.
Interment will be at 10:30 a.m. Monday at Fort Logan National Cemetery.
Tom McGhee: 303-954-1671, tmcghee@denverpost.com or
