[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 146 (2000), Part 1]
[Senate]
[Pages 356-357]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]



                      ON PASSING OF GEORGE ORESTIS

 Ms. SNOWE. Mr. President, I rise to pay tribute to a 
remarkable man and cherished member of the community of Lewiston-
Auburn, Maine who sadly passed away in December at the age of 86.
  When I learned of the passing of George Orestis, I was stricken by 
the news. George was quite honestly one of the finest people I have 
ever had the privilege to know--a remarkable man and true gentleman who 
cared deeply about the community he loved, and was a devoted leader of 
my church, Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church of Lewiston, Maine. He 
was one of those rare individuals who could make you feel a better 
person just for having met him. Indeed, by always seeing the best in 
people, he helped others to see the best in themselves--and his 
compassion for humankind has left an indelible mark on all those whose 
hearts he touched.
  My memories of George go back to my earliest days, and they are fond 
ones. He was a wonderful and dear friend, whose generous spirit I will 
feel fortunate to carry with me throughout my days. His loss is 
especially difficult for all of us in Maine's Greek-American 
community--his kindness and spirituality formed the heart and soul of 
our Church, and his devotion was the bedrock upon which Holy Trinity 
Church was quite literally built.
  As the Church's chanter for over two decades, he expressed his faith 
with soaring eloquence and brought us all closer to God. His words 
reached out to us in a warm embrace, comforting us in our darkest days. 
George was always there for us, and today we know that he is now in the 
company of angels, dwelling forever in the glow of God's eternal love.
  George Bernard Shaw once said, ``Life is no brief candle to me--it is 
like a splendid torch which I have hold of for the moment, and I want 
it to burn as brightly as possible before handing it over to the next 
generation.'' For 86 years, George Orestis shined as brightly as any 
mortal being could, and his is a light that will never be diminished 
for any of us who knew and loved him. In particular, I know what a 
special and loving relationship he and his wife Toni shared. My 
thoughts and prayers continue to be with Toni and her entire family--my 
love is with them always.
  With his values and beliefs--in the way he conducted his life--George 
was as close to God as one could ever hope to be. We will miss you, 
George, more than words have the power to convey. We were so very 
grateful to have you in our lives--now, you belong to God.
  Mr. President, I request that the following article from the Lewiston 
Sun Journal regarding the life of George Orestis be printed in the 
Record.
  The article follows:

             [From the Lewiston Sun Journal, Dec. 14, 1999]

   Leader of the Bank--Friends Recall George Orestis as `A Backbone'

                          (By Michael Gordon)

       Auburn--George Orestis had a politician's love for the 
     microphone--but he spoke much better.
       William Hathaway acknowledges it. He remembers the night 
     three decades ago that Orestis outshined both him and Sen. 
     Edward ``Ted'' Kennedy at the dais.
       Hathaway had recently been elected to the U.S. House, and 
     he brought the Democratic senator from Massachusetts to 
     Lewiston for a fund-raiser to pay off some campaign debts. 
     Orestis was Hathaway's campaign treasurer.
       All three men addressed the audience, and ``George made a 
     better speech than both of us,'' Hathaway said Monday.
       Orestis was a natural in front of an audience, smooth, 
     charming, a skill he'd honed in the 1930s as the leader of 
     Rudy Vallee's band, the Fenton Brothers Orchestra.
       He loved to entertain. Just as much, Orestis loved to stand 
     up and tell people's stories, to celebrate their 
     accomplishments, to sing their praises.
       ``He remembered everything about you,'' said George 
     Simones, a lifelong friend.
       On Monday, it was Simones, Hathaway and others who were 
     doing the talking, the remembering, about a good man and a 
     good friend.
       On Sunday, 10 days after his 86th birthday, Orestis died at 
     Central Maine Medical Center in Lewiston. His funeral will be 
     at 11 a.m. Wednesday at the Greek Orthodox Church of the Holy 
     Trinity on Hogan Road in Lewiston; The Most Rev. Metropolitan 
     Mothodies of Boston will preside.
       A son of Greek immigrants, Orestis took great pride in his 
     heritage and was ``a backbone'' of the local church, said its 
     priest, Harry Politis. Orestis led the fund drive to build 
     the church, and was its chanter for 27 years.
       ``He was a great singer, even when he was losing his 
     hearing. He never missed a note,'' said George Simones, Jr., 
     who sang in the choir Orestis directed.
       His service to the Orthodox church had no bounds. He served 
     on the executive councils of both the National Archdiocese 
     and the New England Archdiocese. Twice he was awarded the 
     Cross of St. Andrew.
       The poor and handicapped knew his kindness. Orestis 
     established the area's first Good Will store. As a Kiwanian, 
     he led the organization's effort to help the mentally 
     retarded.
       ``George had a great respect for every human being,'' 
     Politis said. ``He was able to confront every situation. He 
     had a very realistic point of view.''
       ``Whatever life dealt, he would say those are the 
     circumstances,'' said Orestis' nephew, George. He was named 
     for his uncle.
       ``That's kind of a Greek expression,'' he said. ``When 
     things are not going so well, you sort of say, `Well, 
     circumstances.' and get on with it.''
       ``He'd break into song, he'd tell jokes; he was very 
     personable. I think what was responsible for all the 
     affection others had for him was he was so approachable,'' 
     his nephew said.
       Born in Nashua, N.H., Orestis grew up in Lewiston and went 
     to school there.
       Simones remembers him as a leader even then among the boys 
     of the Greek neighborhood.
       Orestis attended Bates College, and studied composing, 
     conducting and arranging with Rupert Neily of Portland. In 
     1929, he landed the job leading the Fenton Brothers 
     Orchestra. It turned into a 12-year gig. At one point, 
     Simones said, the band made the top 10 in the ``Lucky Strike 
     Parade.''
       When America went to war, Orestis joined the U.S. Army. 
     Commissioned as a second lieutenant, he was assigned to the 
     medical corps.
       When the fighting was over, he came home, not to the sound 
     of waltzes but of washing machines. He ran the family's 
     laundry business, American Linen, from 1947 to 1961.
       When I think of my uncle, I think of the four brothers in 
     the laundry, how a small immigrant family took a business and 
     made it a big success. That's the sort of thing Uncle George 
     would do,'' his nephew said. He said the family sold the 
     company in the mid-1960s.
       In 1962, Orestis married Antoinette ``Toni'' Marois. They 
     later became the owners of her family's restaurant on Lisbon 
     Street.
       On Monday night, Simmons held a Christmas party there for 
     his own employees. He wanted to reschedule, out of respect 
     for the Orestis family, but he said Toni Orestis insisted it 
     be held.
       ``She said, `George would always say, the show must go on.' 
     And she's right,'' he said.
       Now living in McLean, Va., Hathaway was a lawyer in 
     Lewiston when he met Orestis around 1953. Hathaway lived on 
     Webster Avenue and sent his laundry to American Linen. He and 
     Orestis would meet for lunch.
       When the lawyer decided to run for Congress, Orestis 
     offered his help.
       ``I don't think George was too much for politics,'' Simones 
     recalled. Hathaway agreed. But he capitalized on his friend's 
     skill as an orator. He said Orestis could give a five-minute 
     impromptu speech better than most people who prepared one. 
     Orestis later used that talent in helping his nephew, John, 
     get elected as the mayor of Lewiston.

[[Page 357]]

       In 1975, Gov. James Longley, also a Lewiston native, 
     appointed George Orestis as the first director of the Maine 
     State Lottery. He served for four years.
       Orestis never liked gambling, Simones noted. Smiling, he 
     said his friend ``always wanted the sure thing.''
       To his many friends, Orestis was a sure thing.
       ``Anything you wanted, he was there,'' Simones said. 
     ``There isn't enough you could do for George. He's one in a 
     million.''

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