James Bernard Karpinos, 22, of Chapel Hill, died Saturday, April 26 in Transylvania County, NC. James was born in Winston-Salem, NC on August 3, 1985.

He was a 2003 graduate of Chapel Hill High School and a senior at the University of North Carolina at Asheville, majoring in sociology with a minor in environmental science. He spent the fall of 2007 studying at the University of Ghana in Accra, Ghana.

James served in the AmeriCorps National Civilian Community Corps during the 2005-2006 school year. He participated in Hurricane Katrina relief efforts in Gulfport, MS and St. Bernard Parish, New Orleans, where he was made an honorary citizen.

James worked as a UNCA Residential Advisor and a Trip Supervisor in the UNCA Outdoors Program. He was a forest firefighter for the Bureau of Land Management in the summer of 2007, and was working on environmentally conscious construction projects this year. He was also a graduate of the National Outdoor Leadership School and a certified Wilderness First Responder.

James was an accomplished outdoorsman, a passionate environmentalist, a talented athlete, a loyal friend, and a beloved brother and son.

He is survived by his parents, Ralph and Carolyn Karpinos, of Chapel Hill; his grandmother, Louise Arnold, of Chapel Hill; Justin and Ashley Karpinos, of Nashville, Tennessee; Jonathan Karpinos and Leah Gotcsik, of Chicago, Illinois; and Steve Karpinos, of Wheaton, Maryland.

A memorial service is scheduled for 2:00 p.m. Saturday, May 3, at University Presbyterian Church in Chapel Hill. A campus memorial was held Wednesday, April 30, at UNC Asheville.

In James’ honor, donations may be made to the UNC Asheville Foundation to benefit the UNCA Outdoors Program or the Student Global AIDS Campaign. Please designate which organization and send donations to the UNC Asheville Foundation.