Stacy C. Orphanos, 85; Former Greenwich Board of Education Member

From Fred D. Knapp & Son Funeral Home.

Stacy C. Orphanos, of Greenwich, passed away peacefully on July 28, 2014, at The Nathaniel Witherell in Greenwich. She was 85.

She was born in New York, New York on June 21, 1929, to Nicholas Alexander Courtessis and Antigone Drosinas Courtessis.

A Greenwich resident since 1962, she is survived by her sons Peter P. Orphanos and wife Karen of Darien, Paul A.J. Orphanos and wife Katie of New Canaan, and by three beloved grandchildren, Caroline Elizabeth, James William, and Alexandra Dill. She is also survived by her niece, Alexiana Courtessis Wladis of Fayetteville, NY.

After graduating from the Barnard School for Girls in New York City, Stacy earned her B.A. in Music from Vassar College in 1951, with emphasis on her love of the pipe organ. Stacy moved onto a career in advertising and public relations, working as a Senior Copywriter at J. Walter Thompson from 1951-58, and in subsequent freelance and Senior Copywriting positions at Pfizer Pharmaceuticals, William Douglas McAdams, Inc. and other concerns from 1959-61.

She was also a gifted amateur tennis player in the 1950s, competing in numerous regional events, and the U.S. National Tennis Championships.

During this time Stacy also met a young physician, James P. Orphanos, whom she married in May 1962. She supported Jim’s commitment to healing others, and also made sure that her sons had every possible opportunity for personal growth through exposure to music, sports, the arts, and religion.

Also of particular importance were sailing, skiing, and her sons’ hockey games and swimming meets – especially when they competed for Greenwich High School.

Beyond her family, Stacy left her lasting mark through her advocacy for public education. Beginning in 1975 Stacy became a member of the Greenwich Association for the Public Schools (“GAPS”), which promoted excellence in the public education. This work led to her service on the Greenwich Board of Education in 1976, a position she held until 1995, including roles as the Board’s Vice-Chair and Secretary. Her unmistakable imprint on the Greenwich Public Schools is visible to this day. Stacy was instrumental in managing fluctuating enrollments, school closings and re-openings, the rebuilding of the Cos Cob School after a devastating fire in 1992, unifying Greenwich High School as a four-year institution in the 1990s, and negotiating numerous labor contracts as Chair of the Board’s negotiations team.

After leaving the Board, Stacy continued to serve on the Greenwich High School rebuilding committee. Stacy also served on the Board of Directors of the Connecticut Association of Boards of Education and lobbied for education legislation both in Hartford and Washington.

She also returned to the professional world as the Programs and Publications Director at Wainwright House, in Rye, NY, and later as a free-ance editor/publisher.

Our family would like to thank all those who cared for Mom at Greenwich Hospital and at Nathaniel Witherell.

Calling hours will be from 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. on Monday, Aug. 4 at Fred D. Knapp Funeral Home, 267 Greenwich Ave., Greenwich, followed by a private burial.

In lieu of flowers, donations in Stacy’s memory may be made to Vassar College, Office of Alumnae/i Affairs and Development, Box 725, 124 Raymond Ave., Poughkeepsie, NY 12604, or Friends of Nathaniel Witherell, The Camelot Unit, 70 Parsonage Rd., Greenwich, CT 06830.