William Eugene Blasingame Sr.

William Eugene Blasingame Sr., age 99, of Stockbridge, Georgia passed away February 25, 2024. He was born August 7, 1924 in Atlanta, Georgia to the late Robert Powell and Annie Lillian Ross Blasingame. He was preceded in death his brother, Bobby Blasingame, who was MIA during WWII; twin sisters, Patty Benson and Betty Burns; and by his wife, Sarah Ruth Baccus Blasingame.

After serving in the Navy during World War II, Bill graduated from The University of Georgia in 1950 with a bachelor’s degree in Entomology. Since graduation he has been continuously associated with the pest control industry in three different capacities – a regulatory official, a member of the industry and as a consultant and teacher in the pest control industry.

Immediately after graduation in 1950, Bill began working with the Georgia Department of Entomology as Assistant State Entomologist. He was appointed State Entomologist in 1955 and served in that capacity until 1964 when he resigned to join Getz Services. Bill worked with Getz as Vice-President and Technical Director until 1974. In 1974, he became director of Stephenson Services, a division of Stephenson Chemical Company.

The Georgia Structural Pest Control Act was passed in 1955 and Bill served as the first chairman of the Georgia Structural Pest Control Commission. He served on the Commission until he left state service in 1964. As director of the Entomology Division of the Georgia Department of Agriculture he was also responsible for the enforcement of this law. He was one of the organizers of the Association of Structural Pest Control Regulatory Officials and served one term as chairman.

Bill has served as President or Chairman of the following professional organizations: National Pest Management Association, Georgia Pest Control Association, Georgia Entomological Society, Georgia Council of Entomology, Georgia Plant Pathology Association, Southern Plant Board and Pi Chi Omega. In addition, Bill was inducted into the PMP Pest Control Hall of Fame in 2011, the GPCA Hall of Fame, and was also named as one of the 80 most influential people in the pest control industry of all time.

Bill’s iconic career has allowed him to meet many people in the industry from all over the world and he has trained tens of thousands of pest management professionals.

Sarah, Bill’s bride of 69 years passed away in September of 2016. When Bill was inducted into the PMP Hall of Fame, Sarah was quoted as saying “He absolutely deserves it, “I went to enough meetings with him I feel like I could be an entomologist. It was a great life.”

2024 marks several milestones in Bill’s career - 74 years in the pest control industry; 69 years since the Structural Pest Control Act was passed; 69 years since the first Georgia Structural Pest Control Commission meeting and he would have turned 100 years young in August.

Survivors include his children, Sally (Randy) Burns of Conyers and Billy (Shayne) Blasingame of Griffin; grandchildren, Susan (Richard) Cooper, Cindy (Michael) Lunsford, Shauna (Jason) Miller, Dylan (CarrieAnn) Blasingame and Alex Warbington; great grandchildren, Kimberlee Cooper, David (Kaleigh) Miller, Grace Ann Miller, Emmalee Miller, Alex Meyer, Victor Miller, Zoe Miller, Charlee Miller, Gwen Nelson, Brayden Dozier, A.J. Lunsford and Nate Lunsford.

A committal service will be held Wednesday, March 20, 2024 - 11:30 am at Georgia National Cemetery in Canton.

Memorials may be made to the “Entomology Student Support Fund” and indicate the gift is "in memory of W. E. (Bill) Blasingame, Sr.". The online giving link is: https://t.uga.edu/9IY Gifts may also be made payable to the University of Georgia Foundation and mailed to: UGA CAES Office of Development and Alumni Relations, Four Towers, Athens, GA 30602 (reference "in memory of W. E. (Bill) Blasingame, Sr." in the memo line).