Monte Basbas, 92, Former Newton Mayor, Judge

Former three-term mayor and district court judge Monte Basbas passed away recently at the age of 92.

He had a long career in Newton, where he also served as City Clerk. After serving as mayor he became a judge. He died on May 25 in Concord.

Basbas grew up in Manchester, N.H., and attended Manchester Central High School, where he later was inducted into the Hall of Fame for his play on the school’s football team, according to a report in the Boston Globe.

He went on to Dartmouth College, and also served in the Army Air Forces during World War II. Basbas earned the Distinguished Flying Cross for flying fighter planes in the Pacific, the Globe reported.

In 1949 he graduated from Boston University School of Law, and then went to work in the Newton City Clerk’s office. Basbas became City Clerk in 1951, a job which he kept until he became mayor in 1965, the Globe reported.

Basbas ran on a platform of hiring more police officers and seeking to build a new high school. He also took pride in awarding the air rights over the Mass Turnpike for the  development of what is now Shaw’s Supermarket, according to the report.

Basbas became a district court judge in 1972. An attorney who appeared before Basbas called him a “law-and-order” type of judge, according to the report.

He made headlines in 1990 when he was under investigation by the Judicial Conduct Commission and he wrote up a statement several pages long and released a 76-page report. He did so to counter what he called one-sided coverage in the media, according to the Globe.

He is husband to the late Audrey Vagiates, and father of two sons, John of Framingham and Monte Jr. of Maynard; a daughter, Audrey Ann of Great Barrington; and five grandchildren.

Read the entire Boston Globe article by clicking here.