As the headline in the Vermont Digger story said so well, Stephen Terry was an “eyewitness” to the fundamental changes that swept Vermont from the early 1960s until his death this past Saturday from pancreatic cancer. He died in his Middlebury home with his wife, Faith, and son, Will, by his side. He was 82.

A renown reporter and managing editor, legislative assistant to Sen. George Aiken from 1969-75, businessman, college teacher, author, public servant to five governors and numerous state and local boards and nonprofits, Mr. Terry was not only a keen observer of all things Vermont, but also became a respected political advisor and consultant.

A Vermont statesman at heart, he honed his skills through six decades as a journalist, businessman and political insider, and with one clear objective: doing what’s best for Vermont.

It was a lifetime of putting the state’s common good at the forefront that earned him statewide accolades.

When Mr. Terry became the 51st person to earn the Vermont Chamber’s Citizen of the Year award in 2014, more than 20 of those who knew him well shared why they held him in such esteem.

“I have had the privilege of seeing Vermont through the eyes of Stephen C. Terry. Those eyes see Vermont not only for what it is, but what it can be,” said Mary Powell, at the time CEO of Green Mountain Power, where Terry worked for 29 years, retiring as its communications executive in 2014.

“Steve’s hand and voice can be found in every issue important to Vermont, but most notably always at the critical intersection of the environment and the economy,” Powell continued. “Steve is a passionate guardian of the natural environment in Vermont, while always willing to deal with the polarity created by being equally concerned about the socio-economic wellbeing of the state and fostering a robust and meaningful economy and agricultural sector.

“But whatever the issue, Steve’s North Star is what is best for Vermont.”

Ever the newshound, Mr. Terry read constantly, listened intently and pursued with boundless curiosity the stories of his day. The consummate “newspaperman,” a term he preferred to “journalist” he confided to me at a visit the previous Monday because, well, “it seems more mysterious, all-encompassing,” even as the goal is the same: “seeking to explain to readers what the government did and was doing and to hold government accountable.”

That role used to create public trust in the media, he said, then lamented that trust has largely been lost on the national level, though still held true within smaller community newspapers and throughout much of Vermont.

In recent years, he bemoaned the forces that helped social media fracture news consumption as well as a common understanding of community and common purpose. “Nowadays, if it’s not on social media, it doesn’t exist,” he told reporter Kevin O’Connor in a 2023 interview, which O’Connor shares in a wonderful story on Mr. Terry that’s published on Page 3A in today’s Addison Independent. “There seems to be an absence of memory of events that happened a week earlier, let alone years earlier. Maybe this is just my age, but we don’t seem to have deep introspection as to the roots of what’s happening today. History doesn’t seem to be in our culture anymore.”

Mr. Terry would know. A rapt student of Vermont history, he co-wrote the 2011 book “Philip Hoff: How Red Turned Blue in the Green Mountain State,” and wrote 2019’s “Say We Won and Get Out: George D. Aiken and the Vietnam War.” And throughout the past several years, he has continued to write about and be involved in the pressing issues facing Vermont, occasionally as a contributor to the Addison Independent and VTDigger, of which he was a founding member of the Vermont Journalism Trust.

Not enough can be said about public servants who put the welfare of the common good ahead of their own and serve relentlessly to make the state and our communities better places to live. It is the epitome of being a good citizen, a good neighbor, and in Stephen’s case, a Vermont statesman for the ages — even though he never ran for public office.

His statesmanship was aptly noted when he was awarded the Vermont Citizen of the Year in 2014 by many of Vermont’s leaders and those who knew him well:

• Former Congressman and now Sen. Peter Welch: “It’s hard to comprehend the breadth and depth of Steve’s service to our state. From nonprofit and corporate boardrooms to legislative and congressional hearing rooms, to newsrooms across the state, Steve has served with distinction. His commitment to public service is unshakeable, his knowledge of the political landscape is unmatchable, and his sage advice is unassailable. He is a shrewd businessman, a wise counselor, a skillful politician, and a good friend.”
• Former Governor Madeline Kunin: “Steve is, in the true sense of the word, a public citizen.

“When giving advice, Steve places the best interests of the State of Vermont foremost. He knows the state well and understands the various economic and social currents that run through it. He is in a special position, having connections with the business community, the environmental community, and the non-profit sector.

“He is not a person who has ever broadcast his contributions to Vermont. His quiet, often behind the scenes contributions, have made an impact on leadership in the state.”

• David Moats, former Editorial Page Editor, Rutland Herald: “I would guess that the single thread tying together his work on all those boards and in all his positions is his persistent dedication to Vermont, the community, a place he loves. Vermont will remain a place we love only if people like Steve remain loyal to the idea of Vermont, a community where individuals make a difference.”
• Emily Morrow, Esq., Executive Consultant: “(Stephen) typifies the true spirit of service and self-sacrifice in representing the finest ideals of Vermont Citizenship. Born and raised in Vermont, Stephen is the best of Vermont.”
• Bill Schubart, Author and Management Consultant: “Would that we had more Vermonters willing to commit such a substantial part of their life to civil society and enhancement!”

A mentor of mine from when I first bought the Addison Independent in 1984, the example he set at the Rutland Herald (it was named one of the top 25 best small dailies in the country during his tenure) was something we have tried to emulate at the Addison Independent for the past 40-plus years. I’m left thinking of his comments during our recent visit about newspapers like the Addy Indy: “We don’t have a lot of organs of trust left in our society…Trusted information that forms a unified understanding of the issues facing our communities is the central role of the newspaper, and it’s the glue of democracy.”

Working toward that objective will continue to be our top mission, with Steve’s voice always in our minds.

— Angelo Lynn