ALEJANDRO ORFILA

1925 - 2021

ORFILA Alejandro Orfila Ambassador March 9, 1925 - June 9, 2021 Ambassador and former Secretary General of the OAS, Alejandro Orfila, passed away peacefully at home with his wife of 44 years and the love of his life, Helga, and loved ones by his side. The son of Governor Alejandro Orfila and Angelica de Benito, he was born in Mendoza, Argentina on March 9, 1925. After finishing secondary school he entered the University of Buenos Aires where he studied law. Later he studied Political Science at Stanford University in California and Foreign Trade at Tulane University in Louisiana. In 1946 he was nominated Embassy Secretary in the Argentine Foreign Service. In subsequent years he was appointed to Moscow, Warsaw, San Francisco, New Orleans and Washington, DC. Ambassador Orfila served in different embassies and consulates of Argentina and also as Director of Public Relations of the Organization of American States. In 1951 he married American Jean D'Aprile, then divorced in 1974. The two were parents to four children. Following his assignment at the OAS, he was appointed Argentine Minister Plenipotentiary to the United States and served in that post until 1960. That year he was appointed Argentine Ambassador to Japan where he remained until he retired to private life in 1963. For the following ten years, Ambassador Orfila was based in Washington, DC and acted as a consultant in the field of international finances and economic affairs. In November 1973, Ambassador Orfila was appointed Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Argentina to the United States. He served in this capacity until July 1975 when he was elected to his first term as Secretary General of the Organization of American States by the General Assembly. As the escort of Jackie Kennedy in 1976 for the opening of the Kennedy Center, he first saw his future second wife, German-born Helga Leifeld, who was in attendance with the nephew of Bob Hope, Peter Malatesta. The Ambassador and Helga were married in March 1977 in Middleburg, VA. In September 1977, as the Secretary General of the OAS, he facilitated the signing of the Panama Canal Treaty with President Carter and General Torrijos. Also in attendance were 21 heads of state and many dignitaries for what was the most important political achievement of Ambassador Alejandro Orfila's diplomatic career. He was re-elected to a second five year term in October 1979. Ambassador Orfila arranged the visit of Pope John Paul II on October 6, 1979 to the OAS. After his retirement from the OAS, Ambassador Orfila re-entered the business world as a consultant and investor in the field of international finances and real estate. In 1989 Ambassador Orfila and his wife, Helga Leifeld, moved to Rancho Sana Fe, California where he engaged in real estate and community activities. They purchased Thomas Jaeger Winery which was renamed Orfila Vineyard & Winery with the winemaker Leon Santoro, who put Orfila Vineyard on the map. Ambassador Orfila has been decorated from nations around the globe - Spain, Belgium, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Italy, the Vatican, Thailand, Japan and Greece. He also received numerous honorary degrees from universities in the United States and Latin America. His infectious smile, outstanding savvy wit and love of life will be greatly missed by everyone who knew him. Services private.His infectious smile, outstanding savvy wit and love of life will be greatly missed by everyone who knew him. Services private.