James Joseph Harpstrite, Dr.

Dr. James Joseph Harpstrite, 79, passed away peacefully on April 5, 2023 in Kaneohe, HI.  He is survived by his beloved wife Patricia Jane Harpstrite, son Jeffery Kimo Harpstrite, daughter Kelley Puanani Fitzgerald, five grandchildren, and two great grandchildren.

Jim was born in Colorado Springs, CO in 1943. He attended Wasson high school, Colorado Springs.  He worked his way through college at University of Colorado at Boulder.  He and his wife moved to Hawaii in 1964, where he taught history was a JV football coach at Kamehameha School.  After achieving his doctoral degree in Education from Michigan State University, he served as the Kamehameha high school principal in the early 1970’s.  He spent the last 35 years of his career as a professor of Education at University of Hawaii and University of Hawaii Laboratory school. 

Jim was passionate about teaching technology, environmental education, multiculturalism, and world peace.  He took his students on service-learning nature restoration field trips on neighbor islands and throughout Oahu. He held the first international computer camp for kids in Hawaii.  During the summer of 1985, he held an international peace camp which brought teens from the Chernobyl nuclear fallout area to interact with local teens in Hawaii.  In the 1980’s, he won the National Youth Involvement Award for his work on the Hawaii Multicultural Awareness Project and was a pioneer in the field of energy conservation when he taught teachers throughout Micronesia environmental innovations such as solar water distillation kits.

Beyond his professional achievements, he was a football enthusiast, avid golfer, and artist.  His creative spirit, generous heart, and great sense of humor will continue to inspire and impact the lives of those he touched.  He will always be remembered as an amazing father, grandfather, husband, and friend to many. 

Private Burial at Hawaii Memorial Mortuary Park at Valley of the Temples

 “Celebration of Life” for friends and family on Saturday, July 15, 2023 for details go to “Events” at the top of this website