Menu
Search by Name
Search by Name
Charles Pride Obituary
Palm Harbor, FL - Charles Michael "Mike" Pride, 76, died peacefully in the presence of family Monday, April 24, 2023, in Palm Harbor, FL, after a long battle with myelofibrosis, a rare form of blood cancer.
He was born in Bridgeport, CT, July 31, 1946, to Charles and Bernadine Pride. His family moved to Clearwater, FL, when Mike was a young boy. He spent his teenage years falling in love with sports journalism, swimming out too far into the Gulf of Mexico and doing just enough to graduate from Clearwater High School in 1964. He enrolled in the University of Florida but spent more time drinking beer than studying, was asked to leave and enlisted in the US Army rather than being drafted. He was fortunate enough to qualify for the Defense Language Institute, where he was taught Russian. From there, he was sent to the border of East Germany at the height of the Cold War. He met Monique Praet there. Pride asked her to marry him less than a month later, and they wed in January 1970.
They moved back to the US that same year and started a family. He enrolled in the University of South Florida and simultaneously took a full-time job at the Tampa Tribune. He graduated from USF in 1972. He then spent the next 5 years as city editor for the Clearwater Sun and moved to the Tallahasee Democrat in 1977. After a short time there, he uprooted his young family to move to snowy New Hampshire to helm the Concord Monitor, at which he remained for over 30 years. There, he won a Nieman Fellowship at Harvard in 1984, the National Press Association's Editor of the Year award in 1986 and a Yankee Quill award for contributions to New England Journalism in 1997.
In 1999, he was named to the Board of the Pulitzer Prizes, serving as co-chairperson in 2008. That same year, he retired from the Monitor. He came out of retirement in 2014 to run the Pulitzer Prizes as their administrator. He retired from active work for good in 2017. He was the author, co-author and editor of eight books.
He is survived by his wife of 53 years, Monique, his three sons, Sven, Yuri and Misha, their wives, Margaret, Laura and Jessica, six grandchildren, Grace, Jackson, Eleanor, Henry, Lucy and Charlotte, his brother Robin and sister Pamela. He is predeceased by his parents and older sister Bonnie.
A memorial service will be held Saturday, June 3, at 2 pm at St. Paul's Church in Concord. In lieu of flowers, please send donations to the Friendly Kitchen or Family Promise of Greater Concord.
To plant trees in memory, please visit the Sympathy Store.
Memories and Condolences
for Charles Pride
Lori Nerbonne
May 12, 2023
My sincere sympathy to Mike´s family & friends. He was a kind, thoughtful & intelligent news Editor who always did his best to give patients a voice in our healthcare community. I feel
grateful to have known him in this role.
J. White, President, The Society for Women and the Civil War
May 6, 2023
Please accept our deepest condolences. Mike had been scheduled to make a presentation on Harriet Dame at our 2023 annual conference. We will greatly miss his presence at that event; however, we truly appreciate his contributions to the historiography of women's service during the American Civil War.
John Ferland
April 29, 2023
Dear Monique, Sven, Yuri and Misha,
I´m so sorry for your loss and offer heartfelt condolences to you and your extended family. I worked for Mike at the Concord Monitor from 1978 to 1981 - only three years, but enough for a lifetime´s worth of journalism lessons and fond memories. Like others who worked under his leadership, I received my share of editorial criticism, but what I remember most was his strong support for me as a young journalist and also his friendship (related, I think, to our afterhours participation on the company softball team, for which Mike was a competent outfielder, glove in hand and cigarette dangling from his lips). Mike provided me with every opportunity to improve as a writer and reporter, and in the process earn his confidence that I could responsibly handle the job, no matter what was asked of me.
Mike was a newsroom taskmaster but also a gentleman with heart. When my pickup truck was failing, he asked the publisher to help me finance a new car; the request was refused, so Mike let me use his car for work if I needed it. When he heard that I was taking a writing class at a nearby college, he reimbursed my cost with an expense check although I had never asked for the support. I once applied for entry into a journalism fellowship program - I wasn´t really a credible candidate, but Mike supported my application nonetheless and later provided sage career advice that helped me refocus my professional goals. When I left for a job in Maine, he left a note on my desk: "You´ll be missed." As a young reporter I would have liked to hear more from him, but that would not have been Mike. He brought a distinctive manner and school of thought to a demanding profession.
John Ferland
John Ferland
April 29, 2023
Dear Monique, Sven, Yuri and Misha,
I´m so sorry for your loss and offer heartfelt condolences to you and your extended family. I worked for Mike at the Concord Monitor from 1978 to 1981 - only three years, but enough for a lifetime´s worth of journalism lessons and fond memories. Like others who worked under his leadership, I received my share of editorial criticism, but what I remember most was his strong support for me as a young journalist and also his friendship (related, I think, to our afterhours participation on the company softball team, for which Mike was a competent outfielder, glove in hand and cigarette dangling from his lips). Mike provided me with every opportunity to improve as a writer and reporter, and in the process earn his confidence that I could responsibly handle the job, no matter what was asked of me.
Mike was a newsroom taskmaster but also a gentleman with heart. When my pickup truck was failing, he asked the publisher to help me finance a new car; the request was refused, so Mike let me use his car for work if I needed it. When he heard that I was taking a writing class at a nearby college, he reimbursed my cost with an expense check although I had never asked for the support. I once applied for entry into a journalism fellowship program - I wasn´t really a credible candidate, but Mike supported my application nonetheless and later provided sage career advice that helped me refocus my professional goals. When I left for a job in Maine, he left a note on my desk: "You´ll be missed." As a young reporter I would have liked to hear more from him, but that would not have been Mike. He brought a distinctive manner and school of thought to a demanding profession.
Sandy Smith
April 28, 2023
My heart goes out to you, Monique, Yuri, Misha and Sven. Mike played such an integral role in my career. An amazing editor and even better man. I remember one Monitor summer outing with a dunk tank. Mike didn´t hesitate to get on the seat and do a little trash talking as we tried (and succeeded) to dunk him. Just one of myriad lasting memories. Peace to you all.
Katherine Simonton
April 28, 2023
Our deepest sympathies to Monique and family. We enjoyed Mike's years with the Concord Monitor.
Cathy Lord
April 27, 2023
Heartfelt sympathy to you Monique, your boys and the grands. It´s clear what a huge role Mike played in all of your lives. He was a wonderful and amazing man. It was my honor and pleasure to know both of you. He will leave a big void. You are all so blessed to have `bucket loads´ of wonderful, fun and interesting memories. RIP Mike.
Michael Crowley
April 27, 2023
So sorry for your loss Mike was a great person to work with at the Concord Monitor. I had the privilege of working with him in the 80s and early 90s. Your family will be in my prayers.
Judy Todd
April 27, 2023
Sincere condolences to Monique and all of the family. I was sorry to hear of his passing and hold you in many thoughts.
Judy Todd
Kellie Heath
April 27, 2023
In loving memory of a wonderful person. We will love you and miss you always.
James Reid Alexander
April 26, 2023
it is with a heavy heart i heard about the passing of my old friend Mike. we haven't been in touch for years for some reason, living far apart? Monique my sincere condolences to you and your sons. reid alexander
Showing 1 - 11 of 11 results
Make a Donation
in Charles Pride's name
Memorial Events
for Charles Pride
How to support Charles's loved ones
Honor a beloved veteran with a special tribute of ‘Taps’ at the National WWI Memorial in Washington, D.C.
The nightly ceremony in Washington, D.C. will be dedicated in honor of your loved one on the day of your choosing.
Read more
Should I Send Sympathy Flowers?
What kind of arrangement is appropriate, where should you send it, and when should you send an alternative?
Read more
What Should I Write in a Sympathy Card?
We'll help you find the right words to comfort your family member or loved one during this difficult time.
Read moreResources to help you cope with loss
Estate Settlement Guide
If you’re in charge of handling the affairs for a recently deceased loved one, this guide offers a helpful checklist.
Read more
Obituaries, grief & privacy: Legacy’s news editor on NPR podcast
Legacy's Linnea Crowther discusses how families talk about causes of death in the obituaries they write.
Read more
The Five Stages of Grief
They're not a map to follow, but simply a description of what people commonly feel.
Read moreWays to honor Charles Pride's life and legacy
Obituary Examples
You may find these well-written obituary examples helpful as you write about your own family.
Read more
Obituary Templates – Customizable Examples and Samples
These free blank templates make writing an obituary faster and easier.
Read more
How Do I Write a Eulogy?
Some basic help and starters when you have to write a tribute to someone you love.
Read more
