De Anza College 3-D animation instructor William Pacius died of a heart attack April 12. He was 58.
Paicius had degrees in life sciences, electrical engineering and animation/computer arts and had taught advanced classes in 3-D computer animation at De Anza for almost a decade.
“He was a pivotal figure in the development of the 3-D animation classes at De Anza,” said Martin McNamara, director of the De Anza animation program. “Students really picked up on his intensity and drive.”
An enthusiast of J-pop, anime and potato chips, Paicius had an interest in Eastern cultures and often greeted Eastern international students with a bow or a namasté – a respectful greeting used in India – to connect with them.
His students said that he was playful, but tough enough to improve his class’s animation skills.
“He forced his students to do the things they thought they couldn’t do,” said animation student Robert Pendleton. “Will pushed us further because he wanted us to succeed.”
Shortly after Pacius’ passing, Ryan Chilton, a student of Paicius, won a merit award in the 2008 Media Arts Award Competition. It was for a 3-D cinematic still he made with Pacius’ help.
Chilton said that something he particularly admired about Pacius was that at the end of the quarter he helped students understand that they had accomplished something.
“It was refreshing to have an instructor who was as enthusiastic about teaching as [William Pacius]. He tried to be more like one of the students,” Chilton said.
Pacius had an end-of-the-quarter toasting tradition, his students say, where he would bring cookies and sparkling cider and encouraged numerous homages.
Toasts were made for the class’s unfinished projects that didn’t get to be shown, for projects that were actually finished, for instructor Martin McNamara and for all his students, whom he always reminded that they were the next generation of animators.
In one case, when a student proposed a toast for him, he refused. “He was very humble,” Pendleton said. “But [we] did it anyway.”
“Hopefully our appreciation reached him that day. He will be missed by the people here.”
