Orfan, Louis

FROM THE BETHPAGE TRIBUNE:

Louis Orfan, who was the Bethpage School District's legal counsel for 37 years and most recently served term as a member of the Bethpage Board of Education... Mr. Orfan was 81 [when he passed away in November 2006] and had lived in Bethpage for 51 years.

Born in Flushing, Queens in 1925, Mr. Orfan graduated from Newtown High School in Queens before leaving to serve in World War II. After being honorably discharged from the United States Army, Mr Orfan pursued his studies in law, completing his undergraduate degree at New York University before attending Indiana Law School. He started his private practice in 1955, and later, in 1958 was appointed general counsel to the Bethpage Schools.

In addition to serving Bethpage, Mr. Orfan was an attorney for Jericho, Locust Valley, and North Shore School Districts. Although he retired in the mid 90s, Mr. Orfan remained active in school and community issues and frequented Bethpage Board of Education meetings. He was elected to the Bethpage Board of Education in 2002, and was re-elected in 2005. Mr. Orfan also ran for a seat on the Oyster Bay Town Council twice during the late 1960's.

Mr. Orfan is survived by his wife, Nancy, and their three children, Elizabeth, Nicholas and John. Two grandchildren, Elias and Emmett, also survive him.