Anthony Orfaly

   Another name for Anthony was Tony.

Portland Press Herald
Portland, Maine
July 12, 2006

Anthony Orfaly

PORTLAND -- Anthony Tony Orfaly died peacefully at the age of 86 on July 10, 2006, with his family at his side.

He was born in Aleppo, Syria on July 21, 1919, the son of Simon and Turfanda (Guisipian) Orfaly. The family came to the United States as refugees escaping from Turkish attacks on Armenians in 1923. They left Pirarus, Greece and entered through Ellis Island on the ship King Alexander.

His family settled in Chelsea, Mass. His family spoke Armenian, Turkish, Arabic and Greek and his father would write letters for friends and then translate when friends received letters from the old country. When friends would talk about nationality, he always liked to joke that he was born in Syria, spoke Turkish, and came to the United States on a Greek ship with French passport.

He attended the schools in Chelsea through high school, being the only sibling to graduate from high school at the age of 16.

Prior to World War II, he worked in the Charleston and South Boston Navy Yards. Shortly after the Pearl Harbor attack, he joined the Navy. He served aboard the carrier USS Bunker Hill CV 17. He chose that ship because he was a member of the Bunker Hill Boy's Club. He was the leading Petty Officer 1st Class of the V.A. Division working on all weapons, bombs, and aircraft aboard ship. He survived an attack when the carrier sustained two Japanese Kamikaze plane attacks in less than one minute. The Kamikaze planes and bombs aboard ship sparked a raging inferno on the flight and hanger deck and Tony was one of only two men that escaped the compartment in which he was working. He was fond of saying that God saved him to come home and find his beloved wife, Josephine. The Bunker Hill was one of the most decorated carriers serving in the Pacific and was awarded the Presidential Unit Citation. He took a voluntary discharge in December 1946 and went back to work in the Charleston Navy Yard. He then played professional baseball in the Old New England League for Lawrence. He was very athletic and loved all sports.

In 1948 he moved north and settled in Portland to purchase a grocery store on Oxford Street. He operated this grocery store and laundromat successfully for the next 20 years, becoming a well known personality in the Bayside area.

In 1952, he married Josephine Russell. Together they purchased a beautiful home on Washington Ave that Tony took great pride in. They had two daughters, Laurie and Mary. Tony was a loving, devoted, involved and proud father.

Gulf and Western was his next career move, working in the reproduction of prints and graphic arts. Gulf and Western closed its local office in 1973, so Tony then went to work for the Navy at the Naval Reserve Center on Commercial Street. He really enjoyed making many Navy friends and getting his new friends involved in bowling and golf. After retirement in 1984, he worked part-time with Pezrow Food Brokers servicing local supermarkets. This job was one of his favorites since it gave him an opportunity to talk with lots of new people and get paid for it.

He belonged to the Masonic fraternity for 50 years. This membership was immensely important to him and he gave much of himself to these various orders. He was a member of all York Rite bodies and held the highest office in all four. He was also a member of Scottish Rite, Valley of Portland, Kora Shrine, and holder of Knight Cross of Honor, a Past Officer of Grand Chapter, and a Past Grand Representative. He was a past Patron in the Order of Eastern Star and a member of North Deering Congregational Church.

His other passion besides family was bowling. He was quite involved in the Greater Portland Ten Pin Bowling Association, being a charter member and past chairman. He has bowled continuously since the leagues were organized in 1958, stopping only in early 2006. He bowled in the Senior Forever Young league where the motto is winning never grows old. He also golfed often at the Riverside South Course.

Surviving is his wife, Josephine A. (Russell) Orfaly; two daughters, Laurie Kazilionis of Portland and Mary Stemm of Odessa, Fla. He is also survived by four grandchildren whom he adored and who adored him, Danielle Kazilionis, Mark Kazilionis, Dayna Kazilionis and Lauren Stemm. He always said that those children made his twilight years spectacular and that they were the lights of his life.

Visiting hours will be held from 4-7 p.m. on Friday, July 14, at Jones, Rich & Hutchins Funeral Home, 199 Woodford St. Portland. A celebration of Tony's life will be held at 10 a.m. on Saturday, July 15, at North Deering Congregational Church, 1364 Washington Ave., Portland. Interment with military honors will immediately follow at Forest City Cemetery in South Portland.

In lieu of flowers, please make a donation in Tony's memory to your favorite charity. Those who wish to send a memorial tribute may do so at www.mem.com. Jones, Rich & Hutchins Funeral Home & Cremation Service 775-3763.

Anthony married Josephine Alice Russell 27 September 1952 in Maine ⁹²⁹⁶.^,9297 (Josephine Alice Russell was born 9 December 1924 in Biddeford, York County, Maine,⁹²⁹⁹ died 1 December 2011 in Portland, Cumberland County, Maine ⁹²⁹⁹ and was buried 9 December 2011 in South Portland, Cumberland County, Maine at Forest City Cemetery ⁹²⁹⁹.)