William John O'Malley

William John O'Malley, 91, of Morrisville, VT died on January 27, 2026 at Copley Hospital. He passed peacefully surrounded by family. Bill was born on July 18, 1934, in Schenectady, NY, to John William O'Malley and Mary Lena Vaccaro Nestor. Following his childhood in Schenectady, Bill attended and graduated from Middlebury College, enlisted and served in the US Air Force, taught high school chemistry and earned a master's degree in chemistry from Syracuse University. He married Joan Clara Olivan, who bonded over their love of sports cars. Together they raised three children in Ballston Lake, NY.

He spent the bulk of his professional career as a chemist at General Electric, Silicone Division in Waterford, NY where he developed products and worked as a technical sales representative. He earned three patents for his discoveries in the areas of silicone coatings and adhesives-think of him every time you cleanly peel a price tag off an item and it leaves no adhesive residue.

Bill lived a full and adventurous life, and shared his love of the outdoors and sports with his family. There were camping vacations in Vermont, sailing excursions at Saratoga Lake, and skiing adventures at Hickory Hill and Willard Mountain. He encouraged his children to participate in sports-including his daughters in the years before Title IX-coaching his daughter's softball team, hitting endless volleys on the tennis court, and standing on the side of ski races and soccer fields cheering everyone on, but also sharing his critique for improvement.

Bill never tired of reinventing himself and trying new things. He learned to ski in college on the slopes of the Middlebury College Snow Bowl. He was a competitive sailor, racing small boats on Saratoga Lake and beyond, often with his wife or one of the children as his crew. Alongside his career at G.E., he restored and sold antiques out of the family garage. He was a relentless learner, researching and studying period pieces, using his intellect along with his passions to create meaningful hobbies. To this end, the family moved to Killington, Vermont in 1978 after Bill phased out of his work at G.E. He became a ski instructor, learned carpentry and worked as a contractor, helping to build his own post and beam home.

He and Joan enjoyed hiking among the Green Mountains, gardening, and birdwatching. He had a keen eye for art, including his array of Luigi Lucioni etchings which he meticulously researched and collected. He developed an interest in saltwater fly fishing, again learning the intricacies of fly-tying, as he and Joan explored coastal areas of Cape Cod and Florida. As a couple, they were not anchored to one community or place, and they moved for a time to East Hardwick, MA and Pine Island, FL before returning to Vermont in their later years.

Bill was a man of few words, who spoke with gentle voice and a cadence that was deliberate, sometimes halting, as he took care with each word. He demonstrated his love through action, instilling in his children the values of care, commitment and life-long learning.

Bill is survived by his wife, Joan; children Michael O'Malley (Edith) of Cape Coral, FL, Kathleen O'Malley (Geoff Bruce) of Essex Junction, VT and Mary Anne Moisan (Dan Hunter) of Damariscotta, ME; sister Margaret Wainwright of Vero Beach, FL; grandchildren Jasmine Bruce, Mikaela Bruce, Calvin Moisan (Thom) and Rosalyn Moisan (Florin). He was preceded in death by his parents, sister Grace O'Malley (and her namesake, the legendary lady pirate and clan leader Gráinne Ni Mháille), loving aunts, and close cousin Herbert Round.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made in Bill's name to the Lamoille Home Health & Hospice, 54 Farr Avenue, Morrisville, VT 05661 (https://www.lhha.org/donate) or the Morristown Rescue Service, PO Box 424, Morrisville, VT 05661. No services are planned at this time.

We think time travels forward … but it doesn't you see. Time just swirls around us. Everything is always present, the things we've done, the people we've loved … they are all still here.

From The Last Devil to Die by Richard Osman