Having had the good fortune of growing up in Rockport, I knew the late former Rockport Selectmen Nicola A. “Nick” Barletta for my entire life. Nick died at the age of 96 on July 11. Upon hearing of his passing federal and state flags were lowered at town buildings in his honor.
My earliest memory of Nick stretches back to the 1970s, speaking with him after attending Mass at St. Joachim’s Catholic Church in Rockport with my parents and seven brothers and sisters. Nick served as a eucharistic minister in the parish for years. He was always warm and friendly, and he had that special quality that made him approachable and easy to talk to. He was a nice man.
My late mother served on the Select Board with Nick in the 1980s. There never was and probably never will be another selectman quite like Nick Barletta. He served a staggering 39 years with distinction on the board. Nick was involved in every aspect of the town, always wanting to be part of the conversation and putting policies into action on governing this town. His fingerprints are all over projects that were accomplished during his tenure. The town of Rockport owes an enormous debt of gratitude to Nick for his productive years while in office.
Nick was proud of his Rockport upbringing and spoke gently about it with people close to him. Nick achieved the rank of Eagle Scout, the highest rank achievable in the Boy Scouts of America, as a young teenager. An accomplishment of which he was justifiably proud. He would attend Eagle Scout ceremonies in Rockport for years to lend his support. He felt a real connection with those recipients. Nick attended Rockport Public Schools. After high school graduation, he enrolled in Wentworth Institute in Boston and then continued his studies at Northeastern University.
Nick lived on Smith Road in Rockport with his late wife Mary, a retired Gloucester Public Schools teacher who passed away in 1997. Together they raised daughters Mary and Cecilia.
Nick commuted to work for decades an hour and a half each way. He would return to Rockport after working a full day, have dinner with his family then head off to a meeting at 7 p.m. day after day year after year. It should be noted that the great majority of the time that Nick served in town government Rockport did not have a town administrator. Many of those responsibilities were adhered to by Nick and others. He was early advocate for the position of town administrator.
I admire people who are willing to serve in various aspects of town, city or state government. It is time-consuming, and it can be draining on family life as it can take away quality time from your spouse and children.
In 1978 after having served a decade-plus already on the board, Nick through his hat in the ring and announced his candidacy as a Republican for the seat representing the 1st Essex and Middlesex District in the Massachusetts State Senate, the seat now occupied by state Senator Minority Leader Bruce Tarr of Gloucester. Though he was not victorious that November I admired his willingness to campaign vigorously throughout the North Shore for the seat. Campaigns can be physically grueling.
I enjoyed working with Nick, and we had a good relationship when he was chairman of the Board of Selectman and I was chairman of the School Committee back in the early 1990s. We did not always see eye to eye on budgetary items, as I was advocating strongly for a school budget, and things sometimes could get a little testy between the two of us. We always worked it out, compromised, and continued our professional working relationship together. I admired Nick.
A funeral Mass was celebrated for Nick this past Saturday in Rockport as his family and friends and former colleagues gathered to say their goodbyes. His oldest daughter Mary delivered the eulogy after Communion, and she hit all the right chords. She spoke poignantly about Nick and what a wonderful father he was.
Nick was buried at the Beach Grove Cemetery in Rockport next to his wife Mary, with whom he shared 38 years of marriage. May he rest in peace.
Paul F. Murphy is chairman of the Rockport Select Board and a retired public school administrator.