Orestes J. Mihaly
Attorney Orestes J. Mihaly, Sr., age 88, passed away on Thursday, November 19, 2020. Born in Bridgeport, CT on Thursday, October 25, 1932 to the Very Reverend Joseph and Pani Gizella (Steinhaus) Mihaly, as the eldest of four children. He graduated as valedictorian of his Warren Harding High School class of 500 students. He was president of the National Honor Society, winner of the English Department prize, winner of the VFW prize as all-around best student, took national honors in the French Alliance and garnered class leadership honors for three years. Orestes graduated with a BA from Washington Square College of New York University Magna Cum Laude in three years while working his way through school. He then graduated Cum Laude from the New York University School of Law, where he was on staff of the Law Review. He was admitted to the New York State Bar in 1955 and Connecticut Bar in 1956. Federally, he was admitted to the Southern District of New York, the Second Circuit Court of Appeals and the Supreme Court of the United States. He was appointed by then Senator Jacob K. Javits as a Special Deputy Attorney General for the state of New York in 1955. He was appointed by Attorney General Louis J. Lefkowitz as Bureau Chief of the Securities Bureau in 1975. He continued in that capacity under Attorney General Robert Abrams in 1979, eventually becoming the Assistant Attorney General for the State of New York for Investor Protection and Securities. He was also designated Special Assistant District Attorney New York County in 1986 in connection with city corruption indictment prosecutions. Orestes was a member of the Board of Directors for four years of the North American Securities Administrator's Association (NASAA). He also served as its treasurer and chaired various committees. Orestes was considered the authority on New York securities law. He drafted numerous pieces of legislation, authored commentary on existing legislation, wrote articles for the New York Law Journal and was a featured speaker and lecturer at various professional organizations. He testified on behalf of NASAA and the New York Department of Law to New York legislative committees, special advisory committees to the Security Exchange Commission (SEC) and Commodity Future Trading Commission and various United States Congressional committees.
After 32 years of faithful service to the people of New York, Orestes retired from the Attorney General's office. Vice Chairman and General Counsel of Merrill Lynch, Stephen Hammerman had previously served as the SEC's regional administrator in New York, and had worked together with Orestes on numerous cases in previous years. He was instrumental in bringing Orestes on as the First Vice President and Assistant General Counsel for Merrill Lynch in 1987. There he continued his career overseeing the company's compliance with state governmental, legislative and regulatory affairs. He retired from full-time work at Merrill Lynch in 1999, but continued on in part-time capacity for a few more years. Locally, Orestes was highly active in civic organizations. He served as the president of the North Castle Historical Society and chaired the North Castle Board of Tax Review. He was a member of the Board of Directors and a Treasurer of the United Way of Northern Westchester. He was a member of the American Society for the Advancement of Slavic Studies, the Carpatho-Rusyn Research Center, the American Hungarian Foundation and the American Carpatho Russian Youth. He was also a longtime member of the Carpatho-Rusyn Society, where he was the first honoree of the Michael Strank Award for Public Service. Orestes faithfully attended St John the Baptist Carpatho Russian Orthodox Greek Catholic Church on Broadbridge Ave. in Stratford, CT since its inception in 1964. He was admitted to the Order of St. Andrew as an Archon of the Ecumenical Patriarchate in 1998 as an honoree of the Patriarch of Constantinople. He married the love of his life Katarina, or Katie as he called her, on July 16, 1961. They lived in New York City for a few years before settling in Armonk, NY in 1965 where they remained. His survivors include his wife Katarina, Orestes J. Mihaly, Jr and his wife Monika of Wappinger's Falls, NY, John Mihaly and his wife Dana of Dripping Springs, TX and Ilya Mihaly and his wife Panna of Sterling, VA, his beloved grandchildren John, Katherine, Orestes (III) and Lily, his devoted sister Ilona Decerbo and her husband Thomas of Trumbull, CT and many nieces and nephews. In addition to his beloved parents, Orestes was pre-deceased by his brother, Serge Mihaly, and sister, Marion Fallon. Due to Covid-19 restrictions, calling hours, Requiem Funeral Services in St. John's Orthodox Church Broadbridge Avenue, Stratford and Interment will be private. In lieu of flowers, donations in his name can be made to support the traditional Carpatho-Rusyn styled church where his nephew serves as a priest, Holy Trinity Orthodox Church of Danbury, CT. https://holytrinitydanbury.org/donate/ To make an online condolence, please visit www.adzimafuneralhome.com