Blogger Billy Dennis' Funeral Fund
On Monday April 3, 2016, Peoria lost a permanent fixture in the Peoria community, Blogger Billy Dennis.
This campaign will hopefully raise enough money so Billy's family doesn't have the stress of funeral costs added to their shock and grief. I asked Billy's family if I could write this for them, and they agreed.
Billy passed away unexpectedly from heart failure at the age of 53, leaving behind grieving parents, siblings, extended family, friends, and a network of tight knit bloggers and community activists. And I'm counting on that network to now pull together to give Billy the send off he deserves:
Here is a link to his obituary:
http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/pjstar/obituary.aspx?n=william-byron-dennis-ii&pid=184866920&
As for me, my name is Yvonne, and Billy was a good friend to me. We'd spend hours arguing, talking, and laughing at the Campus Town Starbucks, usually a couple times a week but always on Fridays. That's the day I go there to do my office billing, and Billy and I would get a table together and do our own work, but most of the time we'd just end up shooting the sh*t instead.
Billy had just gotten his newest website up running, and he was doing what he loved best. Writing, getting yelled at by the PPD for submitting too many FOI requests at one time, and reporting on the local political scene. That was Billy.
Here's a link to his website:
That website was his baby, he'd been setting it up since at least October of last year. The day he went live, he told me how good it felt to be "back at it." He'd just gotten his first subscription last week and MAN was he happy. So whoever that was, please know that you made Billy feel awesome that day.
Billy was kind, funny, outrageous, and loved by all of the baristas, whom he harassed regularly, and they'd give it right back to him. I just saw him last Saturday, and introduced him to my son. I'm going to the Campustown Starbucks this Friday, and I can't believe I'm never going to get to see him, talk with him, or laugh with him again.
Please share your memories of Billy. And please donate whatever you can. If everyone who's life Billy touched donated just a dollar, we'll have this wrapped up by tomorrow night.
Thank you for taking the time to read this.
