Unitil dedicates Dover facility in memory of former employee: 'A fitting tribute'

HAMPTON — Unitil Corporation recently dedicated one of its operational facilities in memory of a former employee, honoring the lasting legacy he left behind.

Dozens of John Davis II’s former colleagues, friends, family members, and neighbors who live near the site of Unitil’s newly upgraded natural gas regulating facility on Hawthorn Road in Dover gathered to celebrate his life and formally dedicate the building during a ceremony on Tuesday, Aug. 27.

Davis worked as a senior land agent at Unitil for several years and was praised for his enthusiasm and passion for the job. Following his death in 2020, Unitil – a Hampton-based provider of electricity and natural gas to customers in New England – explored ways to memorialize Davis and honor his work. They ultimately decided to name the facility the John A. Davis II Station.

“This is a fitting tribute to a man who worked hard to be his best at all times, never compromised his integrity, could always be counted on and never wavered in his commitments to others,” said Mark Dupuis, Unitil’s director of gas system and transmission operations. “His spirit was embodied in all the talented, creative and dedicated men and women who faced many challenges as they worked toward the ultimate success of designing and constructing this state-of-the-art natural gas regulating facility that now provides safe and reliable energy to Unitil’s natural gas customers in the communities of Dover and Durham. From this point forward, this facility will forever proudly and prominently bear John’s name.”

A plaque with his name is now publicly displayed on an exterior brick wall.

“This was such a beautiful dedication to my father," said his daughter Summer Carney. "We were all so touched when we found out about it. We were incredibly honored, and I know if he were here to see this he would feel the same.”

Dupuis expressed his appreciation to the neighbors for their support and spoke about the challenges Davis sometimes faced in his role as a land agent whose job involved locating properties that are appropriate for utility-related facilities.

“You need somebody that’s measured, that’s passionate about what they do, to be able to explain to folks what’s going on and to really give them a level of confidence that what they’re going to see there, they’re really going to be OK with it in the end. He was sincere and listened to concerns and wanted the best possible outcome,” he said.

The facility serves Durham and Dover, which is an area Davis worked closely with during his time at Unitil. Upgrades to the station began last year to address the increased demand being placed on the system from the two communities. In addition to increased capacity, improvements included enhanced operational safety devices and security upgrades. The addition of a soundproof building also minimized operating sounds from gas regulators while a heating system was installed to warm pipes and prevent icing. A new fence and vegetation were also added to improve the aesthetics of the property.

This article originally appeared on Portsmouth Herald: Unitil dedicates Dover facility in memory of former employee: 'A fitting tribute'