Remembering Joseph ‘Broadstreet’ Monninger
Joseph Patrick Monninger, 71, died well on Wednesday, January 1, 2025, at his home in Warren, N.H. His family and faithful dog were by his side as he said goodbye.
Joe was born on October 28, 1953, in Baltimore, Maryland, to Charles and Debra Monninger. Raised in the town of Westfield, N.J., where he led the Blue Devils to the D1 High School Football State Championship twice, he was scouted and later attended Temple University, where he received a Bachelors in Arts. After completing his undergraduate degree, Joe joined the Peace Corps and spent two years in West Africa, digging wells and completing other infrastructure projects. He entered — and won — a writing contest while volunteering abroad, which served as a launching point for his decades-long writing career.
Joe later attended the University of New Hampshire, where he received his Master’s degree in English Composition. After teaching for several years at The Saint Paul’s School in Concord, Joe accepted a position at Plymouth State University, where he spent 32 years in the English Department. As a tenured professor, he served as faculty liaison to the school paper for many years and provided academic guidance for student athletes. Joe’s writing career paralleled his teaching, and he published over 30 novels and countless articles over the years.
Recipient of two National Endowment for the Arts Awards, his most recent publication, a memoir titled “Goodbye to Clocks Ticking,” was an exploration of his terminal diagnosis and a valuable resource for anyone contemplating the inevitable end of their own life. As an avid fly fisherman, Joe traveled across the country with dogs and rods in tow. He loved the seasonal migration of birds through New England and took care to plant regional varieties of apple, pear and plum trees. Through his work at Putney Student Travel, Joe organized and managed trips around the world with groups of college-bound students. He had a voracious sweet tooth and would bend the rules of almost any card game. He appreciated a well-stacked pile of wood.
Joe’s ideas, words, and deeds will be remembered by the thousands of students he taught and mentored over the years. His neighbors and friends will remember his kindness, generosity, and humor. His family will remember a master storyteller, an adventurous spirit, and a loving companion.
A memorial service will be held at Plymouth State University’s Heritage Commons in Samuel Read Hall on Saturday, January 18, at 1 p.m., in Plymouth, N.H. In lieu of flowers or other gifts, we believe Joe would prefer a donation to your local Humane Society or town library. Thank you.
January 9, 2025
