Former Hartford Fire Chief Walter Oliver Morancy, 96, died peacefully at his home on August 23, 2016. He was born April 29, 1920 in Morrisville, VT to Lorna Weston and Ferdinand Morancy. He was one of eight children, and the family's second eldest son. Early in life, Walt drove truck, operated heavy equipment, and worked construction in Vermont, Connecticut, New York and Bermuda.

On September 18, 1942, Walt enlisted in the U.S. Army Air Corps. He went to Aviation Mechanic school on Long Island, NY, but would often joke that his official training consisted solely of receiving a three-ring binder thick with diagrams and being told to "figure it all out." The needs of the Air Corps led to Walt's re-classification as a portable oxygen generator technician for the American bombers deploying for use in Europe. In training for that role, Walt flew several times on B-24s high above the New Mexican desert and even late in life still vividly recalled the incredible sight of the Earth afforded him through the aircraft's open bomb-bay doors.

Attached to the 807th Chemical Company, Air Operations, of the 9th Air Force, Walt deployed to the European Theatre of Operations, arriving in Gourock, Scotland in September 1943. On March 25, 1944, he left Liverpool, England, bound for North Africa aboard the RMS Alcantara. Walt would eventually disembark at Port Said, Egypt in April 1944.

By late May 1944, Walt found himself stationed near Poltava, Ukraine, then under Soviet control, after completing an overland journey from Port Said, Egypt, through Jordan, Iraq and Iran. Along the way, Walt visited Haifa and Bethlehem, sipped cognac from Palestine, had a rip-roaring time drinking American whiskey in Cairo, battled dust storms near Baghdad and endured the boredom of traveling thousands of miles by troop transport truck. Poltava was the site of both boredom and excitement. The German Luftwaffe attacked the allied airbase during Walt's time there and, instead of jumping immediately into a trench, he stood watching as exploding ordinance, tracer rounds, and burning allied planes lit the night sky. That air raid destroyed or damaged 100 allied planes, 450,000 gallons of fuel, and was later chronicled in the book The Poltava Affair (1973). The event's at Poltava were the most dangerous Walt encountered during his service. Later, though, he would reminisce and say that attempting to avoid the wrath of Soviet MP's while cavorting with local Ukrainian women was also pretty exciting. As the war entered its twilight, Walt arrived in Paris, France, before heading across the English Channel. In England, he visited with his youngest brother, Bob, an American paratrooper with the 517th Parachute Infantry Regiment, who was convalescing from injuries sustained while fighting the Germans in the Battle of the Bulge.

Finally discharged after two years overseas, Walt, travel weary, returned home to Vermont in January 1946, only to encounter a strange woman in his bed, whom he promptly ordered to get out. Perhaps realizing his mistake, Walt struck up a relationship with this family friend—the beautiful, intelligent Lorraine Alice Coan from Johnson, VT. Passionately in love, Walt and Lorraine wed on April 29, 1946. Melody, their first daughter, was born in 1948 and their son, Walter W., joined his sister in 1949. In the early 50s, Walt, Lorraine and the kids moved to Hartford, VT where they began building the family home in White River Junction. It wasn't always an easy process, like, for example, when Walt decided he wanted a full basement after the initial construction of the house had begun, requiring that he (and his son) dig and haul the dirt for the cellar hole one bucketful at a time. Thankfully the home was finished well in advance of the birth of Walt and Lorraine's youngest daughter, Cathy, in 1957.

In 1951, Walt became a part-time call firefighter for the Town of Hartford, joining a mostly volunteer force with few resources. The department's poor old 1928 Cadillac, Walt once said, "used to have men hanging all over it on the way to a fire." In 1955, Walt became a full-time firefighter and the next year, 1956, he was promoted to Assistant Chief, a post he occupied for 19 years before becoming the Fire Chief in 1975.

During his tenure with the Hartford Fire Department, Walt was instrumental in modernizing and professionalizing the agency, shepherding it through many changes over more than three decades. In the early 50s, Walt transformed the town's taxi-like ambulance service, run by the local undertaker, which provided rides to anyone looking to go to a local hospital for a minor appointment. Walt personally advocated for a professionally staffed and run ambulance service for the town. This vision became his to bring to fruition and he succeeded. Much later, he oversaw the consolidation and relocation of the fire department to its present site on the VA Cutoff road. In negotiating this move, Walt managed to get a new pumper truck and a firefighter for the Department from the VA, to go along with many other new pieces of equipment acquired during his service.

In between responding to accidents and fighting fires, Walt, who had a tremendous work ethic and was a proponent of life-long learning, strove to professionalize the fire department through improved, more rigorous hiring standards, and better training and education. Walt also played a key role in hiring the Town's first full-time female firefighter, helped form a Department softball team and continued the Department tradition of stringing Christmas lights in downtown White River Junction.

Walt remained Hartford's Fire Chief for a decade, during which time he oversaw the formation of the Hartford Fire Fighters Association, in 1983-84, and remained an active educator, serving as an instructor with the State Firefighter's Association and the Vermont Fire Service Training Academy. In December 1985, Chief Morancy finally retired after serving the town for 34 years. Upon his retirement, Walt was a member of the International Association of Fire Chiefs and an honorary lifetime member of the New England Association of Fire Chiefs. His retirement party at the American Legion building in downtown White River Junction drew 120 guests, including family & friends, town officials, and firefighters from across the New England region. Despite being "officially" retired, however, Walt continued serving the fire department and his community. When interviewed just prior to retiring, Chief Morancy explained his choice to remain "on call" matter-of-factly, saying: "after so many years, you get a life-time membership on the department."

In retirement, Walt enjoyed playing golf and competitive softball, mostly taking the field as a pitcher. In Florida, where he and wife Lorraine spent many winters, Walt played on softball teams in Port St. Lucie (the Herons & the Mets) and Ft. Pierce (the Mavericks). His teams won many games and league championships. However, his softball career was cut short after a line drive struck him in the head, resulting in significant head trauma that required surgery. True-to-form, Walt downplayed the scars from that surgery—two large dimples at the front of his skull—by saying they were "where his horns used to be."

Walt was an energetic man, committed to keeping fit and eating healthy, although he never turned down a piece of pie or a sweet treat. During their younger years, Walt and Lorraine would go out dancing together. Walt always kept busy around his house, mowing the lawn and working with his hands on all manner of things well into his 90s. Walt was also a bowler, could throw horseshoes with the best, and shoot a mean game of pool. Those unlucky enough to meet him at a pool table often fell victim to an innocent façade that belied his inner hustler.

Among many talents, Walt was a fine conversationalist, with a great sense of humor, and he never lacked for sage advice on a host of topics, from relationships to yard maintenance. Like many storytellers, he sometimes employed poetic license, like when he explained the presence of a scar on his back as the result of rescuing a beautiful blonde woman (or was it three women?) from a burning airplane. Many of his children and grandchildren heard and believed this story when they were young!

Walt was recognized for his contributions to his community several times. In June 2007, at age 87, American Legion Post 26 presented Walt with the Hartford Citizen of the Year Award in appreciation of his "many years of unselfish service in the Town of Hartford, and for God, and Country." On July 4, 2016, at age 96, Walt was again honored to receive the Town of Hartford's inaugural Oldest Citizen Award and memorial cane at a ceremony held at the Hartford Historical Society. At the event, Walt took his final ride in one of the Town's immaculate fire engines. With a little assistance, he climbed into the front passenger seat. When the engine turned over, the air horn bellowed deafeningly for several seconds, startling everybody except for Walt, who was sitting in the front seat smiling, one arm resting casually on the window sill, his foot down on the air horn pedal.

Walt was a past or present member of the VFW Post 2571, American Legion Post 26, the United Brethren #21 Masonic Lodge, the Bugbee Senior Center, and the United Methodist Church of White River Junction. He was predeceased by twin daughters, Pearl Gail and Margaret Elizabeth Morancy, and his wife of fifty-seven years, Lorraine, who passed in October 2003. His brothers Raymond Norris, Albert Ferdinand, and Robert Weston Morancy, as well as sisters Helen Rose Mailloux, Elsie May Beal, and Pearl Dorothy Laraway Coan all predeceased him as well.

Walt is survived by one sister, Mildred Kowalski, of Westfield, Pennsylvania, his three children, Melody Martin, Walter W. Morancy Sr., and Cathy Moloney, and his six grandchildren: Jeffrey Martin; Richard Martin; Walter W. Morancy Jr., Meredith Pero; Jennifer Lamontange and Christopher Moloney; as well eleven great-grandchildren and many other nieces, nephews, relatives and friends.

Calling hours will be at Knight's Funeral Home in White River Junction, VT, Thursday, September 1st, from 6 to 7pm, with a service to follow. A burial will be held at the Randolph Veteran's Cemetery, in Randolph Center, VT, on Friday, September 30th at 11am, during which time Walt's ashes will be interred with those of his loving wife, Lorraine. Everyone wishing to celebrate Walt and Lorraine's lives are welcome to attend both events. Condolences may be sent c/o Cathy Moloney to: 346 Highland Ave., White River Junction, VT, 05001. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the United Methodist Church, 106 Gates Street, White River Jct., VT, 05001.

Walt will be remembered as a man who lived a rather beautiful life. He had a keen intellect, quick wit, sly smile and great capacity for love and compassion. He was, in short, a fine husband, father, public servant, role model and genuine friend who loved others—his wife, children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren, brothers and sisters, mother and father, and friends—tremendously. He left this world on his terms, embraced by the love and affection of his family.