07/01/2021
I’m very sad to let everyone know that longtime member of what was once Local 97, Billy Blanas, has past away. There is so much that could be said about Billy. He was a guy who had a wealth of knowledge and he enjoyed sharing it with others. He held many positions within Local 97 but one I believe he loved the most was being an instructor. Billy taught many apprentices who have gone on to become some of the best journeyman in the trade. He will be missed by many.
I can remember when I was the Apprenticeship Coordinator, Billy was an instructor, him and I would get into some heated discussions about the curriculum. Going back and forth about this and that. But at the end of the day, and this was something that I never felt I deserved from Billy, he would turn to me and say, “ah cmon lad. Let’s go have a beer and worry about this stuff later.” And we would go have that beer and a few laughs. I’m grateful to have known Billy Blanas and even more grateful for the memories that we made together. You are the man Billy! Godspeed my brother…
