IN MEMORIAM: Bill Blasingame Sr.

William Blasingame Sr. See his PMP Hall of Fame biography video online at Youtu.be/uXXXFHWgsHs

The Georgia Pest Management Association reports that Pest Management Professional (PMP) Hall of Famer William Blasingame (Class of 2011) passed away Feb. 24. He was 99 years old, and was also one of the “90 top industry differencemakers” in the magazine’s 90th anniversary issue. Per the association’s release:

After serving in the U.S. 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. That year, he became director of Stephenson Services, a division of Stephenson Chemical Co.

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
• Pi Chi Omega

In place of flowers, memorials may be made online to the “Entomology Student Support Fund”  and indicate the gift is “in memory of Bill Blasingame, Sr.”  Gifts may also be made payable to the University of Georgia Foundation (reference “in memory of Bill Blasingame, Sr.” in the memo line) and mailed to:

UGA CAES Office of Development and Alumni Relations

Four Towers

Athens, GA 30602