A Major Celebration for Blane Dessy

By David Gurzenski-Lukes

On June 7, friends and associates of Blane Dessy gathered at PACA (1505 State St, Erie, PA) to honor a special man who supported the Erie community in a big way. The afternoon celebration drew a large crowd who listened to several poets and performers paying tribute to Blane.

"It was a pleasure to hold this event in our facility," said Mark Tanenbaum, executive director of the Performing Artists Collective Alliance. "Our entire board and staff helped organize and stage the event. "Blane was a man well-deserving of such a tribute. He had a way of inspiring others to achieve their vision. He was a major PACA supporter, not just financially. He was present at many of our events. Blane was charming, articulate, and sincere. We couldn't have had a better friend."

The afternoon was hosted by Randy Shannon, Blane's husband, and Clayton Bradshaw, a special friend. Blane and Randy had been together for 28 years, and married for 14 of those years after it became legal to do so. "I'm thrilled with the number of people who are here to honor Blane," said Randy. "There's no doubt the positive impact he had on the city's performing arts community."

In addition to the entertainment, guests were treated to a lavish buffet and toasted Blane with glasses of champagne. The camaraderie among those present was evident.

Blane was a longtime, committed advocate of Erie's LGBTQ+ community. He received the 2025 LGBT Spirit of Philanthropy award from the Erie Community Foundation. He was also a longtime advocate and former chair of the Development Committee for the LGBT Fund.

About the Author

David Gurzenski-Lukes David Gurzenski-Lukes has a bachelor's and master's degree in journalism from Arizona State University and the University of Arizona. He has a long career as an editor and communications professional for a number of universities, including UCLA. He was a publications editor for United Way of Greater Los Angeles and community relations director for Pacific Beach Community Hospital in San Diego, California. Since David has been retired, he has written a book, "A Gay Grandfather Grows Up," which details his difficult coming-out journey. While David has only been an Erie resident for a short period, he is already involved with various local organizations, including Aging With Pride. He has two daughters with professional careers. Jennifer is an attorney in Washington, DC, and Julie is a computer programmer in Jupiter, Florida. He also has two grandsons. Drew is a pilot with American Airlines, and Jake is a student at Florida State University.