I think BLM getting traction is what killed him.
He was a part-time local resident, and was still vocal in the community 'til the end. From a letter to editors of our local paper less than a week ago:
"Over the last 40-plus years, we have developed deep friendships in Durango and the surrounding area and none more cherished than the Clark family, who own and operate Toh-Atin, one of the state’s oldest and most reputable dealers in contemporary and antique American Indian art.
Recently, there has been some controversy over the iconic sign that features a figure in full regalia that sets across the street from their gallery in Durango.
There is nothing disrespectful about the signage; in fact, nobody on planet Earth has more respect for or has been a better friend to Native Americans than the Clark family, who have dealt honestly with them for three generations, a testimony in itself to the relationship.
The sign is a landmark, not an insult and offends no one."
Long may it stand.
Charlie Daniels
Mt. Juliet, Tennessee
Here's the sign he refers to