Jeffrey L. Carples, New York Social Services Official

Jeffery L. Carples, a West Hartford native who became a high-ranking New York City social services official and a leader in the national gay rights movement, died Friday at his home in New York City. He was 44.

Mr. Carples died of AIDS, his family said.

Mr. Carples attended Sedgwick School and graduated from Conard High School. He moved to New York City in 1973, after receiving a bachelor's degree from Princeton University's Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International Affairs.

Mr. Carples, who also had a home in Philmont, N.Y., had been in government service for 20 years. Most recently, he had been vice president of the Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse at Columbia University. He had been chief of staff to center President Joseph Califano Jr., former secretary of health and human services in the Carter administration.

In 1993, in the last days of New York Mayor David Dinkins' administration, Mr. Carples was named acting commissioner of the Department of Homeless Services. He had also been chief of staff in the office of the deputy mayor for health and human services; in that job, he was responsible for the daily operation of the offices of homelessness and single-room occupancy housing, children and families, AIDS coordination and managed health care.

From 1990 to 1992, he was executive deputy commissioner for adult services in New York City's Human Resources Administration, administering a budget of $500 million and directing a staff of 6,000.

In earlier years, he held a variety of state and city government jobs.

Mr. Carples served on the board of the National Gay Task Force, heading its finance committee.

In 1977, he helped organize the New York Political Action Council, an advocacy group.

To honor his longtime commitment to human services, a child-care center in Greenwich Village is to be named for Mr. Carples, said Donna Lawrence of Family Dynamics, which runs the facility.

He leaves his companion, Richard Orient of Manhattan; his mother, Florence Land Carples of West Hartford and Boca Raton, Fla.; two brothers, David Carples of Pittsburgh and Steven Carples of Winter Park, Fla.; and two nephews.

His father, Charles Carples, died previously.

Funeral services will be held Tuesday at 10 a.m. at The Riverside, 76th Street and Amsterdam Avenue, New York City. Interment will be on Wednesday in Fairview Cemetery, West Hartford.

Contributions may be made to the Lesbian and Gay Community Services Center, 208 W. 13th St., New York, NY 10011; or to the Jeffrey Carples Child Care Center, 154 Christopher St., New York, NY 10014.

(Hartford Courant, December 24, 1994 Saturday, STATEWIDE)

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