Walter A. Malinchak, who officiated the 1988 Orange Bowl football game between the University of Miami and Oklahoma, had many stories from his years of wearing the black and white stripes. Mr. Malinchak, a longtime Monessen resident, was a high school and college official from 1958 to 1988.

Besides working the Orange Bowl, Mr. Malinchak worked the Gator Bowl twice, the Peach Bowl and many other major games.

"The one he really enjoyed doing the most was the Army-Navy game," said Mr. Malinchak's son, James.

Mr. Malinchak, 76, who retired from officiating 18 years ago, died Saturday at Mon Valley Hospital.

He was a member of the Eastern Association of Intercollegiate Football Officials. Besides college football, Mr. Malinchak worked high school games in the Western Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic League and was a basketball official from 1957 to 1988. In basketball, he officiated WPIAL games and small-college contests.

"He had a special place in his heart for football, though," said James Malinchak.

When Mr. Malinchak worked out-of-town college games, he would sometimes take his son and Ron Tyburski, his nephew and a current college basketball official.

"He's the one who got me started in this and kind of took me under his wing," said Mr. Tyburski.

Mr. Malinchak was a 1949 graduate of Monessen High School, where he was class president. He attended Fairmont State College in West Virginia and worked 36 years for the Donora Southern Railroad and Wheeling-Pittsburgh Steel's Monessen Southwestern Railway Co.

Mr. Malinchak served 45 years as president of the Ukrainian Literary and Beneficial Association of Monessen. He also was a member of the Croatian Club of Monessen, the Russian Club of Charleroi and Monessen Masonic Lodge No. 638.

In addition to his son, James, of Las Vegas, Mr. Malinchak is survived by his wife, Betty M. Szabo Malinchak; a son, Walter M., of Monongahela; a daughter, Cindy McLane, of Jacksonville, Fla.; and eight grandchildren.

Friends will be received today from 2 to 4 and 7 to 9 p.m. at Rhome Funeral Home, 1209 Grand Blvd., Monessen. Services will be held at 10:30 a.m. tomorrow at St. Nicholas Ukrainian Orthodox, Monessen, followed by burial in Mon Valley Memorial Park, Donora.