Dedication held for new Public Works memorial

On Wednesday morning, a large group gathered in front of the Department of Transportation building on Hazen Drive to dedicate a new memorial for public works employees lost in the line of duty.

Families of the 36 men listed on the Public Works Employees Memorial were joined Wednesday by DOT and public works officials, Gov. Chris Sununu and the Executive Council, and countless public works employees from around the state. The most poignant moment came at the end of the ceremony as Jim Rivers, whose father’s name is listed on the memorial, read the names of the fallen as a bagpiper played in the background.

“Public works employees understand that there’s risk involved in what we do every day,” said Dan Brennan, an SEA/SEIU Local 1984 chapter leader at DOT and a member of the committee behind the memorial. “It’s important that we recognize the sacrifice these people made, but also recognize what everyone who does these jobs every day faces.”

Many helped bring this memorial to fruition, and they deserve our thanks for the work they’ve done in the service to those lost. As noted in the ceremony, 36 names have been inscribed, with another worker recently identified. Here are the names of those initial 36 workers:

• Etienne Duval, Manchester City Street Commission (1893)
• Timothy Sheehan, City of Manchester, Street Commission (1896)
• Fortuant Allaire, City of Manchester Street Commission (1897)
• James Costello, City of Manchester Street Commission (1898)
• John Conroy, City of Manchester Street Commission (1898)
• Arthur Coleman, Manchester Street Commission (1910)
• Patrick Griffin, Manchester Highway Department (1950)
• David Nelson, Town of Charlestown (1950)
• Ephriam J. “Steve” Rivers, NHDOT Bureau of Traffic (1959)
• David Kemmeur, Manchester Highway Department (1956)
• Leo Scannell, NHDOT Highway Maintenance (1965)
• Luchien Sarette, Manchester Highway Department (1965)
• Irenee Boissoneault, Manchester Highway Department (1969)
• Rudolph Demurs, City of Dover DPW (1971)
• Raymond LeBlanc, Manchester Highway Department (1971)
• Frederick Scroggins, NHDOT, District 5/Londonderry (1971)
• Carl Richardson, NHDOT Highway Maintenance (1973)
• Archie Page, Town of Loudon (1973)
• Emery D. Eaves, Turnpikes – State Public Works (1973)
• William Jennings, Manchester Water Works (1977)
• Albert Pinard, Manchester Highway Department (1977)
• Paul H. Paradis Sr., Town of Rye (1982)
• Charles E. Damour, Town of Henniker Waste Water Treatment Plant (1985)
• George Prive, Manchester Department of Public Works (1994)
• Daniel Carswell, NHDOT Bureau of Turnpikes (1997)
• Bruce Harting, Town of Wolfeboro (2002)
• Alphonse “Al” Napolitano, NHDOT Bridge Operator (2004)
• Robbie Gonyer, NHDOT Highway Maintenance, District 1 (2004)  
• Stephen McKinley, NHDOT Highway Maintenance, District 2 (2005)
• Ryan Haynes, Town of New London (2005)
• Stephen Blood, Town of Antrim Highway Department (2009)
• Milton Reed, NHDOT Highway Maintenance, District 3 (2011)
• Jim “Richard” Hayes, NHDOT Bridge Operator (2012)
• Jeffrey Robinson, Manchester Water Works (2012)
• Thomas E. Wooten, Northfield Department of Public Works (2016)
• Richard D. Milliken, State Highway Department Survey Team

You can read more about the process and who has been involved on the Department of Transportation website.