David R. Conna, 61, formerly of Westborough

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David R. ConnaStow – David R. Conna, 61, of Stow, was an energy conservation consultant and climate activist.  David died Tuesday, May 30, 2023, less than nine months after a diagnosis of metastatic neuroendocrine carcinoma, a rare and incurable cancer.  At the time of his diagnosis, Dave was a fit, active long-distance cyclist and hiker.  His rapid decline was unexpected, leaving friends and family stunned at his passing.

Dave was born in Durham, North Carolina in 1961, the son of Dr. Sherrill “Ted” Conna, a child psychiatrist, and Mary Lou (Kolbe) Conna, a former schoolteacher.  In 1968 he came to Westborough, graduating from Westborough High School in 1978.  He graduated from Clark University in 1982 with a degree in Science, Technology, and Society and a concentration in physics.  He lived in Worcester and Weston before moving to Stow in 1999.

Dave’s concern for environmental sustainability was always ahead of the curve.  As a friend said, he was truly a force for the good of the planet.  He worked as an energy auditor and conservation specialist for several MetroWest agencies (SMOC, PERC, CSG, and EFI) in the 1980s and ’90s, and helped build many large solar installations. He became an independent energy conservation consultant, contracting with electric utilities through the Town of Arlington and later through his partnership, LS Energy Associates, to provide energy-saving retrofits throughout Greater Boston.  Dave pioneered lighting designs that pushed the envelope to new levels of efficiency.  When you walk down a hallway and the illumination moves with you, think of Dave.  He was among the first to deploy such motion-sensing controls in utility conservation programs.

Dave was a longtime trip leader for the Appalachian Mountain Club who biked, hiked, backpacked, camped, and skied throughout New England and beyond.  He also loved scuba diving, canoeing, kayaking, and sailing.

In 1994, with his sister Sheri, Dave bicycled from Westborough via Doylestown, PA to Los Angeles, retracing the route his grandfather Frank Kolbe had cycled in 1923.  Before his diagnosis, he had planned to repeat the bike trip on its 100th anniversary this summer.  As a member of Climate Ride, Dave biked over 3,700 miles on 13 rides and raised more than a quarter million dollars for climate change activism.

For over two decades, Dave was a devoted volunteer with Vermont’s SolarFest, promoting renewable energy to address climate change.  As SolarFest was preparing to disband in 2015, Dave joined the leadership team and worked tirelessly to re-establish SolarFest with an expanded mission including regenerative agriculture, community solar, and workforce training.  SolarFest would not be where it is today without Dave.

Dave lived by his values and ideals, sustainably and self-sufficiently.  At his home in Stow, he installed energy efficient heating systems, solar electric panels, and a charging station for his electric car.  Dave was a skilled auto mechanic who took pride in the high mileage he could squeeze out of his older cars, a craftsman who often had a construction project underway, and a seasoned gardener who dreamed of living on a farm.  He loved animals, and there were always dogs and cats in his life.  In his final years, Dave devoted considerable time to helping his mother remain in her home.

Dave was both highly principled and highly opinionated.  He was offended by abuses of power, by racism and oppression, by narcissism, consumerism, waste and greed, and by the cavalier disregard for nature and our planet.  He was intense, energetic, idealistic, irreverently independent, and funny as hell.  Dave was a loyal, caring, and dependable friend to many, known for his integrity, his sharp wit, and his positive spirit.

Dave is survived by his mother, Mary Lou Conna of Westborough, brothers Ted Conna of Worcester and Edward Conna of Hawaii, sister Sherilyn McKay, brother-in-law Donald McKay, and nephew Alexander McKay, all of Montague, uncle Richard Kolbe of Ottsville, Pennsylvania, five other aunts and uncles, and sixteen cousins.  Dave was predeceased by his father, Dr. Sherrill “Ted” Conna, his grandparents, Leon J. and Dorothy (Porges) Conna and Franklin P. and Eleanor (Callan) Kolbe, and five aunts and uncles.

A memorial celebration of Dave’s life will be held at 2pm on Sunday, July 30 at the First Parish Church of Stow and Acton, 353 Great Rd, Stow, Mass., preceded by a more informal gathering at Stow’s Town Center Park.  For more information, click here.

Dave’s cremated remains will be returned to places he loved. Donations may be made in Dave’s honor to:

Solarfest, P.O.Box 900, North Bennington, VT 05257

Climate Ride, 111 N. Higgins Ave, Suite 415, Missoula, MT 59802

Center for Biological Diversity, P.O. Box 710, Tucson, AZ 85702-0710

Northeast Organic Farming Association, Mass. Chapter, PO Box 60043 Florence, MA 01062

Neuroendocrine Tumor Research Foundation, 31 St. James Ave., Suite 365, Boston MA 02116

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