James (Demetrios) Karayannides, 76, of Hurley

HURLEY, N.Y. >> James (Demetrios) Karayannides departed this life on July 6, 2019, at age 76 from acute myeloid leukemia at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Hospital in New York City.

Jim was born Nov. 23, 1942, in Manhattan, New York City, where he lived for a good part of his life. He moved with his family to the Hudson Valley in 1994 and resided in Stone Ridge and finally Hurley, N.Y. He was the president of Karay Metals Inc. of Woodstock, N.Y., and Chicago, Ill.

Jim attended Barnard School for Boys (now Horace Mann) in Fieldston, N.Y., and Hobart College in Geneva, N.Y., graduating in 1964. His son, Christian Karayannides, is a graduate of the Hobart class of 2009.

World travel, for both business and family holidays, was one of his greatest pleasures in life. It resulted in the formation of worldwide friendships. Jim initially worked for shipowners in New York and then for four years in London, between 1968-72, where he met his wife, Susan.

Jim was a man who had tremendous zest and energy for life and embraced every experience. He swam laps every other day at Bard College, but also attended almost every performance at the Fisher Center for the Performing Arts at Bard. He loved to sing and to dance and would do so at every opportunity.

Jim was a member of the New York Athletic Club in Manhattan and The Edgewood Club In Tivoli, N.Y., and served on the board of the Hudson River Maritime Museum in Kingston, N.Y. Jim had a gift for friendship, a deep love of family, and a passion for life. He shall be sorely missed.

Jim is survived by his wife, Susan; his son, Christian; and his sister, Sophia Karayannides Browne.

Memorial gifts can be made to Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (MSK giving) in his honor.