Dr. Stephen William Carper

Dr. Stephen William Carper, 49, died Nov. 27 of a massive stroke while at work in his cancer research lab at UNLV.

Funeral services will begin at 2 p.m. Thursday at the Greek Orthodox Church, 2618 W. Bannock St. in Boise with Rev. Archimandrite Nektarios Serfes officiating. A Trisagion service will begin at 7 p.m. Wednesday at the Alden-Waggoner Funeral Chapel at 5400 Fairview Ave.

Steve was born on March 25, 1958, to Major Sgt. And Mrs. William J. Carper in Boise. He grew up in La Grande and graduated from La Grande High School in 1976. He graduated from Eastern Oregon State College with a Bachelor of Science degree in biology and chemistry and received his PhD in biochemistry at Utah State University in Logan in 1986.

Dr. Carper completed a post-doctoral program at the University of Arizona in Tucson. He later researched breast cancer in Madison, Wis., before taking a position in the biochemistry department at UNLV in 1991 while continuing his cancer research.

Steve enjoyed hunting, fishing and playing with his grandson. He was an avid Green Bay Packers fan.

Survivors include his mother and stepfather, Florence and Dale Lint of Sacramento, Calif.; brother, Michael and his wife, Bridget, of Sugar Grove, Ill.; ex-wife, Barbara Carper; daughter, Sarah and her husband Clayton Dale of Beaverton; a grandson and a granddaughter ; daughters, Joe Ann and Elizabeth Carper, both of Beaverton; and many aunts, uncles, nieces, nephews and cousins.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that memorial contributions be made to the UNLV foundation at UNLV Dept. of Chemistry, 4505 Maryland Parkway, Las Vegas, Nev., 89154-4003, with the memo, "Steve Carper Memorial Fund," attention, Dennis Lindle.