Geoffrey K. Orlando passed away gracefully on July 9, 2023 at his home in Scarsdale, New York.
He is survived by his loving and devoted wife of fifty-two years, Janet Cucinell Orlando; his daughter Susan Meier and son-in-law Stephan Meier; his grandchildren Miguel Muñoz-Orlando and Alba Muñoz-Orlando; and his brother Christopher Orlando and sister-in-law Joyce Orlando.
Geoff was born in Yonkers to Anthony and Katherine Orlando on May 18, 1944. He graduated in 1962 from Lincoln High School in Yonkers, where he was a star player on the baseball, basketball, and football teams and was widely loved and respected. He attended Manhattan College and graduated in 1966 with a Bachelor of Arts degree and went on to earn a Juris Doctor degree from Brooklyn Law School. He was admitted to practice law in the courts of the State of New York as well as in the federal courts in the Southern and Eastern Districts of New York.
At the wedding of a mutual friend, he met Janet Lynne Cucinell of Crestwood. Their first date was July 20, 1969, the date of the first moon landing. They were married in Bronxville on March 27, 1971.
After his army service, Geoff was hired as an Assistant District Attorney for Westchester County under D.A. Carl Vergari. He served as Deputy Chief of the Superior Court Trial Division, where he supervised attorneys assigned to prosecute felony indictments. He was a gifted trial attorney and served as lead prosecutor on numerous serious cases involving homicide, rape, arson, kidnapping, and organized crime, including the highly publicized Bronfman kidnapping, Gulliver’s Disco fire, and Stouffer’s Hotel fire murder.
After serving the county for 13 years, Geoff went into private practice and founded the Law Firm of Geoffrey K. Orlando in White Plains specializing in criminal defense litigation. He frequently appeared as a legal expert and commentator on television shows including ABC’s 20/20, Sally Jesse Raphael, Maury Povich, Phil Donohue and Geraldo Rivera.
Inspired by the legacy of his father, Anthony Orlando, who was a high school principal and a leader in the field of education, Geoff began teaching and mentoring as he worked his own way through college and law school. He continued with this work throughout his life as an adjunct professor of law at Iona College, Mercy College and Westchester Community College. He taught courses in litigation, criminal justice, paralegal studies, constitutional law, and business law and made a policy of being “always available” to his students, many of whom became lifelong friends and colleagues. He was also a frequent lecturer at legal seminars and continuing education programs for attorneys and judges.
Geoff was an avid Yankees fan, an enthusiastic traveler, and took pride in his Italian heritage. He was a great public speaker who charmed juries and audiences with his brilliant arguments and winning personality, not to mention his movie star good looks. His high school classmates voted him Best Looking, Best Dressed, and Most Popular, and those qualities stayed with him throughout his life.
What he valued most highly was taking accountability and giving back to his community. Helping people was his calling, especially mentoring young people to build their careers and become good citizens. He took each of his legal cases as a personal responsibility to help those who had been wronged and to fight for the forces of justice and right. He was a compassionate and generous person, a great lawyer, and a great teacher, but most of all he was a proud and adoring husband, father, grandfather, and friend.
He left this world behind with a little more goodness, hope, beauty, joy, and love for his having been a part of it.
Funeral arrangements are as follows:
Wake:
Date: Thursday, July 13th
Time: 4:00 pm – 7:00 pm
Location: Fred H. McGrath Funeral Home
Mass:
Date: Friday, July 14th
Time: 9:45 am
Location: St. Joseph’s Church
Address: 15 Cedar Street, Bronxville
We welcome everyone to join us in this ceremony.
Condolences(6)-
-
-
-
-
-
Previous Vinci, Msgr. Guy
Next Bandini, Mary Jean
Sal Natale says
July 11, 2023 at 4:13 pmJanet and Susan,,,
no words can express my sorrow at Geoff’s passing,,,May God Bless his beautiful soul,,,,,,,,,,I know he is happy finally being with his dear Dad,,Tony,,as we’ll as Kay and grandma Louise,,,,,He was a big part of my life in High school and I will think of him often as well as pray for him and his dear family…God Bless you all,,,
Marty Minnella says
July 11, 2023 at 9:15 pmA great lawyer, a great human being, a better friend. I will pray for him every day.
Janet and Susan, I wish I could be with you at this sad time.
Ronald and Sally Ann Ball says
July 13, 2023 at 3:36 pmDear Janet and Susan,
Geoff was a truly an inspirational friend and mentor to our family from the time Ron first met him in the District Attorney’s Office. His intelligence, calm ability and good humor were a great comfort to our family in a difficult time. His life touched many and he will be greatly missed.
Lois Cullen Valerio says
July 13, 2023 at 3:42 pmI met Geoff in 1977 when I was hired as a rookie ADA by the late great Carl Vergari. Geoff was already a star and I was in absolute awe of him. No one worked harder or was more generous with his time, serving as a mentor to countless ADAs. He was absolutely spellbinding in the courtroom, and juries adored him.
Geoff was not flashy, but his sincerity and brilliance were winning tools.. He always had a twinkle in his eye and a kind word. Geoff became a friend as well as a colleague and was always an inspiration.
Totally devoted to his family, Geoff was always so proud of Susan and would often regale us with her latest accomplishments.
My life was better for having known him.
With my sincerest condolences to his family and many friends,
Lois Cullen Valerio
Paul Catano says
December 14, 2023 at 4:58 pmI am one of Geoff’s second cousins. I worked with him in the sixties at Wanamaker’s Department Store in Yonkers NY. Incredibly we found ourselves working together in the Housewares department – two single, young college men working part time who knew nothing about selling household items. I came to know how much fun and how patient Geoff was. We became very good friends and enjoyed many clumsy and humorous sales occasions. Any way, we kept in touch every year since then. I will always remember fondly what a great person and friend he was.
Paul Catano
Janet says
December 30, 2023 at 7:01 pmThank you. I know he had great memories of you and always talked about getting together.