“We’ll never run out of ideas,” Bill Morancy would often exult at the end of taping a television show called Talking About Movies for Onion River Public Access. It was a characteristic expression for Bill — of joy at the prospect of sharing his enthusiasm with the world at large. They didn’t run out of ideas, but sadly Bill ran out of time. He died on Monday, Dec. 28, just two months after a diagnosis of pancreatic cancer.

Bill was one of the Montpelier, Vt. area’s distinctive personalities, and one of its greatest appreciators. He often said that these last 10 years of his life were his happiest. Besides co-hosting the show, which can be viewed at vimeo.com/talkingaboutmovies/videos, he had been a clerk at Bear Pond Books, the projectionist at the Savoy Theater, a contestant at storytelling events, a concessionaire at Circus Smirkus, and the curator of a popular Sunday morning film series. He had close friends, meaningful work, and the sense that he was contributing to a vibrant community.

Bill was a native of Pawtucket, R.I., of French-Canadian and Irish heritage. After an unsatisfying stint in the white collar world (law and insurance), he moved to Martha’s Vineyard where he worked at a variety of jobs: video store and bookstore clerk, baker, surveyor, movie projectionist, and house painter. He spearheaded a successful effort to establish a community radio station, WVVY, that is still thriving. He first became acquainted with central Vermont in the mid-1990s when he rented a house on Nelson Pond in order to escape the intense summertime invasion of Martha’s Vineyard.

Later, when it became time to leave the Vineyard, he thought of Montpelier and its welcome atmosphere. Montpelier is all the richer for that decision. As one of his close friends commented, “those of us who were near enough, geographically, to support Bill in his final month, were struck by the variety and range of all who enjoyed and were affected by his personality and affection for film, adventure, good conversation, culture and play.”

A spring memorial service is planned. If you would like to give a gift in Bill’s name, he asked that donations go to a fun to further film culture in Vermont. Please make checks out to the Bill Morancy Film Fund, care of Rick Winston, Box 32, Adamant, VT, 05640.