Local 85 (Ga.) Service Awards

James T. “Blue” Chilton – 70-year pin recipient

Blue Chilton began his sheet metal career in January 1951, and after completing a three-year apprenticeship program became a journeyperson on November 1, 1955. His first job assignment was with Carrier Corp.

Chilton served his membership working for various union contractors, including Shelton Cheek, Stephenson & Associates and Mallory & Evans, and was a foreman on most projects he worked on. He completed his sheet metal career working for Stephenson & Associates, retiring on June 1, 1988. Chilton is 90 years young and continues to work with sheet metal and other metal material, making yard art, signs and sculptures in his home shop. He has donated sculptures to the city of Rutledge and other organizations. 

Thomas W. Wade Jr. – 70-year pin recipient

Thomas Wade began his sheet metal career on November 11, 1951. His first job assignment was with LD Herndon in Columbus, Georgia; he began his apprenticeship shortly thereafter but was drafted into the Army in 1953 and served in Korea until his return home in January 1955. In September 1955, he married his wife, Shirley, and they settled into family life. He then returned to the sheet metal apprenticeship program, graduating in June 1958. Wade worked for various sheet metal shops over his career, retiring from MacAbee Corporation in Birmingham Alabama. 

Wade is 91 years young. He and Shirley are gardening enthusiasts; they raise fruit trees, flowers and enjoy working together in their green house. 

60-year pin recipients: Michael Cannon, Billy Cleveland, James Marshall, Ronald Nelson                

50-year pin recipients: Melvin Boggs, Danny Cawley, Ronald Chase, Darrell Flanigan, Wayne Gregory, David Hanley Sr., Billy Hillhouse, Charles Kangeter, Lawrence Lester Jr., Timothy Milam, Kenneth Norton, Johnny Rich, Douglas Robertson, Jerry Sherman, James Towery, Ronald Whatley

40-year pin recipients: Matthew Allen, Grady Bagwell, James Barwick, Jerry Coleman, Sandy Curry, Donald Daniel, Michael Davis, Eddie Entrekin, John Gafnea, Fred Gaskin, Glenn Gentry, Lawrence Gilmer, David Herrin, James Hill, Hames Houston, William Jarvis Jr., Bobby Jones, Ronnie Jordan, Michael Kelley, Paul Mathew, Michael Mays, Billy McClung, James McCullough, Neil Moore, Robert Murray, Timothy Perren, Douglas Polley, Joel Portwood Jr., Philip Shadix, Eric Sinclair, Chadwick Smith, Jack Smith Jr., Stanley Swinford, Frank Tyner, Jerry Whatley, George Wilson                                   

25-year pin recipients: Victor Aristizabal, Jonatan Arriola, Charlie Ayers, Gary Baker, Richard Beall, scott Bryson, David Chestnut, Tim Clark, Darnell Cole Sr., James Cook, Tim Davenport, Michael Day, Marie Dinh, Brian Ferguson, Delbert Frazee III, Brian Ginn, Daniel Griffith, William Hughes, James Jackson III, Joel Johnson, Philip Mancuso, Wilford Martin, Craig Mauney, Kevin Murphy, Carl Napierala, Michael Newman, Sang Nguyen, Phi Nguyen, Bill Olah, Godfrey Powdar, John Reynolds, James Roderick, Anthony Sims, Lan Tran, Hue Tran, Kiet Trinh, Ernest Underwood Jr., Eric Wood

15-year pin recipients: Yisela Aguilar, Jon Allred, John Apessos, Samuel Bass, Clifford Bateman, Devon Bookal, Rodney Burke, Robert Bussell, Jacob Byrd, Caleb Case, Walter Cliett, Oscar Collum Jr., Chris Conkel, Kenneth Cook, James Cooley III, Jay Core, Diane Crowell, Reginald Davis, Richard Denney, Douglas Dixon, Duy Doan, William Duffy, Todd Eddy, Clark Felker, Nathan Forrister, Curtis Frazer, Thomas Freeman, Jaime Freshwater, Stanley Gibson Jr., Steven Gilbert, Mark Giles, Collin Grant, Jeremy Hardy, Napoleon Hernandez Barret, Lester Hood, Kenneth Huitt, Milandus Jackson, Gregory Jones, Frank Karastury Jr., Gregory King, Jason Knight, Chester Leckner III, Luz Martinez, Robert Martiny, Cody Mathis, Steven Mazurowski, Larry Minniefield, Christopher Money, Gary Morrow, Bradley Nesbit, Kelly O’Neil, John Owens, Traci Payne, William Pearson III, Staughton Sebastian, Wallace Seegar, James Shaddix Jr., Brandon Shadix, Robert Shorts, Jesse Sosebee, Joel Thrailkill, Terry Towles, James Travis III, Rodger Watkins, Dorothy Wigfall, Gregory Williams, Richard Wilson, Forrest Zuercher