Around Canonsburg, everyone seemed to know Michael Kusturiss' name. When people asked his daughter, Alexandra "Lexy" Kusturiss, how she was related to the indefatigable family lawyer, she'd hesitate and brace for their reaction, which she said would usually "depend on which side of the divorce you were on."

Mr. Kusturiss ran his own firm for 58 years and handled thousands of clients, frequently advocating for their rights under the state's divorce code.

His law partner, Steven R. Wolf, said, "I think you could fairly say he's done more than anyone in Washington County to shift wealth to women."

Mr. Kusturiss died of complications from cancer Saturday. He was 85 and worked until shortly before his death.

While he distinguished himself as a philanthropist, school board member and leader in the Greek Orthodox Church, at work he specialized in helping his clients get fair settlements after their marriages ended.

"Clients would often come to us in middle age with no employment. He'd try to get them child support, part of the marital estate, pensions and alimony," said Mr. Wolf. "He was an advocate of economic equity, which meant getting more money and more property for women. He took cases in many instances where he knew he could not be paid."

Mr. Kusturiss became an expert in the state's new divorce code after it took effect in 1980. Many cases from M.E. Kusturiss and Associates would set precedent in the appellate courts.

Born in Canonsburg, Mr. Kusturiss was one of eight children of Emmanuel and Athena Nikas Kusturiss, who immigrated to Washington County from Kalives on the Greek island of Crete.

After his team won wrestling championships at Canonsburg High School, he briefly attended the University of Pittsburgh on a track scholarship. When he got a wrestling scholarship to Duke University, he transferred there, and his team once again won championships. He also distinguished himself in fast-pitch softball.

Toward the end of World War II, he was stationed in the Philippines as commanding officer of a landing craft tank with the 7th Amphibious Fleet. He often told the story about how he arrived for training on the West Coast, having never seen the ocean or boarded a ship. He approached and saluted the Navy man he thought was in charge and said, "Can I speak to the captain?" only to learn that he was the captain. He retired a lieutenant junior grade.

Back at Duke after the war, Mr. Kusturiss was deciding between graduate school in physical education or law school. His classmates were standing in two lines to sign up, and the law school line looked much shorter. He landed the next-to-last slot and entered the profession that would occupy him for marathon workdays for the remainder of his life.

"He was the hardest-working man I ever met in my life," said his son, Michael E. Kusturiss Jr. of Eighty Four.

After law school, he returned home to Canonsburg and married a girl from the neighborhood who his mother had been lobbying for as a daughter-in-law, Stella "Angel" Mahramas. They were married more than 50 years until her death in February.

In addition to his work at the firm, he worked for several years as an assistant district attorney and solicitor in Washington County. He bought commercial and residential real estate in Washington and Allegheny counties, which he managed through his business, M.E. Kusturiss Enterprises.

He also became an archon, the highest lay office in the Greek Orthodox Church, in 1993, and a member of the church organization Leadership 100 for his philanthropy to international and humanitarian projects.

He headed the church building committee and church board for his local congregation for many years.

He owned a farm in Eighty Four known as "Angel's Acres," where he allowed local organizations to hold gatherings and events. He built a chapel on the grounds, which he deeded to the diocese.

Late in life, he also made major donations to the Greater Canonsburg Library Building Fund.

In 1997, the Greater Canonsburg Chamber of Commerce awarded him the Exemplary Citizen Award.

In addition to his son and his daughter, who is from Canonsburg, he is survived by his brother, John Kusturiss of Philadelphia; three grandchildren; and four great-grandchildren.

Visitation is at All Saints Greek Orthodox Church, 601 W. McMurray Road, Canonsburg, from 1 to 8 p.m. today, with a Trisagion service today at 7 p.m. in the church. Visitation will resume at the church from 10 to 11 a.m. tomorrow before the service at 11. Entombment will follow in the Kusturiss mausoleum at Oak Spring Cemetery, Canonsburg.