Born Dec. 26, 1941
Westport, Connecticut
Died Sept. 11, 2025
Charlotte, Vermont
Nicholas (Nick) Monsarrat of Charlotte, longtime veteran of the Vermont news scene, has died at the age of 83. During his 40-plus year career he worked for all the major newspapers in the state, as a Statehouse reporter, then Editorial Page Editor and subsequently Managing Editor of the Times Argus; Managing Editor of The Rutland Herald; and Editorial Page Editor at the Burlington Free Press. He also appeared regularly on Vermont This Week, helped found VT Digger with originator Anne Galloway and was one of its early Board Members. He is featured in the 2010 Vermont Public Television documentary “Headline Vermont,” which details the history of Vermont Newspapers. He served in the Air Force in the Philippines when he was drafted in the 60s right before Vietnam, writing for the Stars and Stripes, and was an Adjunct Professor of Journalism at St. Michael’s College. In 1983 he co-chaired an unprecedented exchange of Russian and American journalists, who met in both Russia and Vermont. Nick also served on the Board of Directors of the New England Press Association.
Anne Galloway has written glowingly of Nick during Digger’s founding: “I am grateful for the constancy of Nick Monsarrat, my editor. Nick’s advice and editing expertise have been invaluable. He smooths the rough patches in my writing, translates arcane legislative argot, keeps the facts straight….I owe hm a debt of gratitude.”
He will be sorely missed by his wife of 30 years, Barbara Ann Curcio, also a reporter, with whom he partnered in various ventures–both writing and editing one another’s work. He is the cousin of famed novelist Nicholas Monsarrat (“The Cruel Sea”), and later penned two novels of his own–“The Sharpstown Boys” and “United States.” Barbara and Nick also rode together and cared for their total of seven horses in both Vermont and Florida. In between, Nick endured too many health problems to list over the years, starting with a quadruple bypass at the tender age of 51.
Strikingly handsome and always brave, he endured health challenge after challenge with his wife by his side through hospitalizations, surgeries and finally extended stays in rehab facilities, until he was no longer mobile enough to remain at home. Through it all he showed tremendous courage and resilience, battling often grim prognoses to recover time and time again. He died at home on hospice care in the room where he and Barbara were married next to the grand piano three decades ago.
No doubt he was greeted in heaven by four of his horses–Silver the quarter horse and herd leader, Scout the opinionated paint, Jester the faithful Palomino and Red, Pony Club Veteran and sometime-stinker. Also there to meet him were his three dogs–Macbeth and Macduff the Scottish sheep dogs and Truffles, a bearded collie mix. No doubt his parents, John and Margaret Monsarrat were on hand, along with his in-laws Ann and Dominic Curcio.
He will be remembered by all–his memory a blessing. No doubt he will do his best to promulgate Free Speech and Freedom of the Press in heaven and on earth, encouraged by his three remaining horses, Bailey the Irish pony, and Splash and Thunder, the Wild and Crazy Paint horses.
