In Memoriam of William Douglas “Doug” Auxier

William Douglas “Doug” Auxier passed away on May 15, 2022 at the age of 73.  Born in 1948 to William “Bun” and Dorathy Auxier, he was raised outside of Cincinnati in Batavia, Ohio. At the age of 12, Doug went to work on his father’s farm and continued there until his early 20s. Taking a break from the farm life, Doug joined the U.S. Army. After his service in the military ended, Doug returned home to help on the farm and work at Auxier Gas, his father’s company. William founded Auxier in 1946 to sell appliances. However, the company quickly transitioned to selling gas cylinders for those appliances and ultimately becoming a prominent commercial and residential propane company in the Cincinnati area.

Doug took over Auxier Gas in 1978.  He became involved in various propane associations to learn more about the industry and spread the knowledge of safety in hopes of preventing accidents. He began to attend meetings of the Ohio Propane Gas Association (OPGA), serving on their Market Development and Safety Committees, as well as Chair of the Convention Committee.

Doug was OPGA’s President from 1988 to 1989, a post that allowed him to further serve Ohio’s propane industry. Further, he went on to serve as NPGA State Director for Ohio, earning the state director of the year award in 1992. Doug was active on NPGA’s Benchmarking Council and part of its inaugural group. And as one of the founders of the Midwest Propane Convention, his impact on the industry is truly felt across the country.

Doug’s down to earth vision and knack for asking hard questions led him to chair multiple committees at NPGA, including those focused on market development and safety. As NPGA’s Sixth District Director, he was a vocal advocate for the industry across the Midwest.

In 2000, Doug was named NPGA Treasurer. And after serving in various officer positions throughout the early 2000s, he was named NPGA Chair in 2003. Following his leadership tenure at NPGA, Doug served on the Propane Education and Research Council from 2005 to 2010. Even after his leadership positions with NPGA and PERC concluded, he still remained active with both organizations, providing input, leadership and guidance. Most recently, he was inducted, alongside many of his heroes and friends in the industry, into the LP Gas Hall of Fame.

Doug had many interests outside of the propane industry. He was not only an avid drag racing fan, but also owned and raced dragsters himself for many years. His need for speed on the ground was only matched by his need to soar across the sky. Doug was involved in the Experimental Aircraft Association (EAA) and the Cincinnati Warbirds, owning and flying a T-28 Trojan aircraft. While serving as NPGA Chairman, he was known to fly himself to propane association meetings around the country.

Several years ago Doug was diagnosed with pulmonary fibrosis and survived a lung transplant. The surgery did not weaken his work ethic and Doug continued to work both at Auixer Gas and Auxier Farms from home and during rehab. Being a recipient of a transplant, he and his family became advocates for organ donation.

Visitation for Doug will be held at E.C. Nurre Funeral Home (Amelia, OH) on Sunday, May 22, 2022 from 3-7 pm. Funeral services will take place on Monday, May 23, 2022 at 10:30 am, also at the funeral home. E.C. Nurre Funeral Home is located at 177 W. Main St. Amelia, OH 45102.  In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Comprehensive Transplant Center Patient Emergency Fund (Account #312346) by calling 614-292-2141, or by mailing checks to the OSU Foundation, P.O. Box 710811, Columbus, OH 43271. 

Much of the content for this piece came from LP Gas Magazine.