James G. Karis

1923 - 2020

January 1, 1923 - November 9, 2020 His heart was as big as his smile, he was a true person of character, and if you had the wonderful opportunity of meeting him, he never forgot you. James G. Karis (Jim) passed away quietly at his home in Huntington Beach, CA at the age of 97. Jim was born to immigrant Greek parents George and Sophie Karis (Katritses) in Minneapolis, MN. Jim would always joke that he was famous from birth when he and his twin brother Aleck had their picture placed in the local paper hours after their birth, since they were the first twins of the New Year born in the twin cities, Minneapolis - St. Paul. After high school, like many young men, Jim was drafted into the army to serve his country in WWII. He was assigned to an armored division and stationed in Europe the last nine months of the war. His division was one of the first to leave Europe for California and he later learned was destined to land on a Japanese beach on D-Day. He would often wonder if the atom bomb saved his life.Jim attended the University of Minnesota and received his degree in Economics. After graduation he wanted something exciting, interesting, and unlike the military, something with very little regimentation, so he joined the FBI along with his twin brother Aleck. Jim's focus in the FBI was on civil rights and kidnapping cases, including the Patty Hearst kidnapping case. He retired from the Bureau after 29 years of service, but continued to the end of his life to advocate to ensure that people had freedom and access to resources, regardless of the color of their skin or background, and that people could marry who they wanted. After retirement Jim was active in golf, tennis and sailing. Jim and his wife Kaye (Chappas) were members of the Alamitos Bay Yacht Club in Long Beach, CA and sailed and raced the Lido 14 as a couple. Jim would say that a Lido 14 was built to destroy marriages, but theirs survived 36 years. Jim and Kaye loved to entertain and travel, especially to Europe. Jim was well into his 90's when he joined water aerobics classes at the Sea Gate Community where he met a wonderful group of women. After Kaye's death in 2005, Jim's stepdaughter Lynne introduced Jim to Annette N. King, a lovely and kind widow from Palos Verdes. They enjoyed going to the movies, dinner and would talk on the phone every day, even after Annette moved back to Georgia to be close to her family. Jim was preceded in death by his loving wife Kaye, his siblings Tom (Mary), Aleck, Peter and Mary Karis. He is survived by stepdaughters Dianne Vlasto and Lynne (Bob) Grotz, nephews Demetrios (Alicia), Aleck (Karen), and James Karis, great nieces and nephews, and many cousins and friends.