Obituary of William H. Blain, Sr.

Former Financial Secretary William H. Blain Sr. passed away on June 20, 2020, after a long illness. He was 84 years old.

William was a very active member of Local 3, IBEW from 1956 to his retirement in 1998 and after. William is survived by his wife of 64 years, Constance, their five children --- two of whom, William Jr. and Louis, are Local 3 “A” journeymen --- nine grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.

Initiated into Local 3 on July 7, 1956, William began his union activity in 1957 as a member of the Apprentice Committee, serving as Committee Chairman until 1961. He served on the Board of Directors of the Electrical Workers Death Benefit Society from 1963 through 1998. He was a member of the Wage and Policy Committee, which he was appointed to in 1970. On January 1, 1974, he was elected an officer of Local 3’s Examining Board and served until November 9, 1985. On January 25, 1982, Brother Blain was appointed a Business Representative of Local 3 and was delegated the responsibilities overseeing the office staff of Local 3 and all its related functions. In November 1985, he was elected Recording Secretary of Local 3 and served until he was elected to fill the unexpired term of Harry Van Arsdale, Jr. as the Financial Secretary on July 28, 1986. William served the members well, until his retirement on October 8, 1998. He lived out his years on Hilton Head Island, South Carolina.

William served as a member of the Joint Industry Board, Joint Apprentice Committee, Pension Committee, Finance Committee, Additional Security Benefit Fund, 401K Fund and Secretary of the White Plains JATC. He also served as Sergeant at Arms of the New York State AFL-CIO from 1986 through 1998.

Employed by B. Eichwald & Co. first as Journeyman-Foreman, William advanced through the ranks to the position of General Foreman at the United Nations and, subsequently, to company Superintendent. His special training as a high climber qualified him for installing and maintaining radio, television and broadcasting systems on both the Empire State Building and the World Trade Center. He was later employed with G. Kleinknecht, Inc. for eight years as General Foreman as Rockefeller Center, company Superintendent and finally as Director of Media Operations nationwide.

William’s other affiliations included serving as the former Scoutmaster of Troop #4 in Floral Park, New York and President of the St. George Association, Chapter #80 of the Electrical Industry (1972-1974). William served as Co-Chairman of the Youth Group at Bethlehem Lutheran Church in Wilton, Connecticut and as Vice President of the Cedar Valley Civic Association in Quakertown, Pennsylvania. In 1983, he joined the Wilton Police Department as an Auxiliary Police Officer and graduated as a Police Officer working 25 hours per month at no compensation. He also joined the Auxiliary Police on Hilton Head Island.

William’s father, Louis R. Blain, was initiated into Local 3 in 1944 and his father-in-law, Theodore R. Judd, was initiated into Local 3 in 1923. Their contributions to the labor movement and their guidance through the years proved to be an inspiration for his own accomplished career.

“Overall he had such an incredible legacy through his union,” William’s son, Louis, said. “He was always very proud of his union and the men and women in his industry.”

The officers, staff and rank-and-file members of Local 3 send their condolences to the Blain family and their loved ones.

Please keep them in your prayers.