Vince Koehler, who reviewed films for the Johnson's County Gazette and EntertainmentSpectrum.com, died Wednesday after a long battle with cancer.

Over the years Vince also reviewed for the Kansas City Post, K.C. Life Downtown and the cable shows "Entertainment Spectrum" and "K.C. Live." He may have been the purest movie fan I've ever met.

The guy simply was crazy for movies. Good ones. Bad ones. He took supreme pleasure in the act of sitting in a theater as the lights went down.

Fresh from chemotherapy and obviously feeling lousy, he still showed up for screenings.

A longtime member of the Kansas City Film Critics Circle (he was on the group's governing committee), Vince will be remembered for his optimism, his decency and the dignity with which he faced his worsening health.

But I'll always remember him leaning back in his seat as the film began, absolutely concentrated on the magic unfolding on the screen. Here was a man doing what he loved.

By ROBERT W. BUTLER
The Kansas City Star