David Huddle, beloved husband, father, friend, teacher, mentor and writer, died on October 7, 2025, in Burlington, Vt.
Originally from Ivanhoe, Va., he interrupted his undergraduate work at the University of Virginia to serve in the U.S. Army in Germany and Vietnam, where he earned a Bronze Star for his service. He returned to UVA, where he met his wife, Lindsey Massie, completed an MA at Hollins University and an MFA at Columbia University, then began teaching at the University of Vermont in 1971. His books vividly and profoundly reflect on these experiences, the people he knew and loved, and his dedication to the writing habit.
A prolific writer, he published nine books of poetry, six novels, five collections of short stories and a collection of essays. His work appeared in the New Yorker, the American Scholar, Esquire, Harper’s, Best American Short Stories, the Georgia Review, Green Mountains Review, Appalachian Heritage and Blackbird, among others. He received two National Endowment for the Arts fellowships, in 1978 and 1987; he won the Library of Virginia Award for Fiction in 2012 and the PEN New England Award for Poetry in 2013; and he was a fellow of the Vermont Academy of Arts & Sciences. Writers admire his “his luminous characters,” “subtle flashes of insight” and “his rigorously conversational talk.” His friend Julia Alvarez writes, “Huddle gives us not just a glimpse, but that rare revelatory and redeeming experience of seeing and becoming … others, which is why we read and need his novels.”
In his 38 years at the University of Vermont and during his many decades at Middlebury College’s Bread Loaf School of English, David was a teacher as generous as he was brilliant. He cherished his friendships with colleagues and enthusiastically shared his love of American literature, creative writing and reading aloud. Knowing that writers need each other, he worked tirelessly to create a strong literary community by bringing stellar authors to campus and, at UVM, seeking to hire not only the best writers but also the most effective teachers. Colleagues write that they began to feel UVM was home when he and Lindsey welcomed them to campus by inviting them to dinner.
Many of David’s former students became successful writers thanks to his encouragement, advice, and introductions to literary agents and editors. He thrived on teaching and served as a visiting writer at universities across the country, including the Sewanee School of Letters and his alma mater, Hollins University. He also taught at the Rainier Writing Workshop for 13 summers. He valued each writer’s experience, perspective and identity. Those he taught became friends, and he often read manuscripts from former students for decades after they had left his class.
David lived vigorously. A tenor saxophone player in a band as a young man, he loved many genres of music: rock, classical, bluegrass, classic country and especially jazz, which inspired his novel Tenorman. He loved to dance in the kitchen while cooking dinner and at Bread Loaf barn dances. He played tennis every Saturday with Lindsey and any time he could with friends. His friend Hugh Coyle writes, “Anyone who attended Bread Loaf back in the ’90s will also remember David’s booming voice calling out “Volleyball!” after dinner.” He loved traveling with his family, especially the annual trip to Cape May, N.J. And in the last decade of his life, he took thousands of photographs of migratory birds.
He is survived by his wife, Lindsey; daughters, Bess and Molly; sons-in-law, Nick and Ray; and grandchildren, Hattie, Phoebe and Hank. He is predeceased by his brother Charles and survived by his brother Bill.
We are most grateful to the Residence at Quarry Hill staff who appreciated his humor and cared for him so tenderly. A memorial service will be held on Monday, November 24, 2025, 10 a.m., at St. James Episcopal Church in Essex Junction, Vt. To attend virtually, go to the St. James website: stjamesvt.org.
In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to the Cornell Lab of Ornithology at birds.cornell.edu/home.
We treasure our memories of him and his many books. They will keep us company as we reckon with the anguish of his loss.
This article appears in Nov 5-11 2025.
It’s hard for me to imagine a world without David in it. My friend of over fifty years, nonpareil multi-generic writer, great soul. Robin a nd I can’t describe how we will miss him.
David is one of those teachers who helped me to feel more at home at Bread Loaf— and he forever changed the way I read a short story! He’s the kind of teacher and person who lives on and on in all the best ways.
I very much enjoyed have Mr. Huddle as my professor during a summer semester at UVM. He was a thoughtful and demanding teacher with a soft drawl and understated sense of humor. Obviously, he will be missed by a lot of people, and he deserves that. Godspeed.
Always a kind and gentle man, David Huddle, was a brilliant writer, a gifted professor, a congenial poker player, and a dear friend. We shall not see his like again. May he rest peacefully and be long remembered by all who knew and loved him.
My sympathy to all who loved David Huddle. His words and his teaching have clearly left deep roots in this community. May his writing continue to comfort and challenge us, and may the memories you share bring warmth in the days ahead. Wishing you peace and strength as you grieve.
I am so sorry to learn that beloved Professor Huddle, a giant in Vermont’s literary hall of fame, has passed away. Please accept my deep condolences. He was my creative writing teacher, mentor, and inspiration. When my first book of poetry was published, David wrote a cover blurb that was both generous and humbling. I will never forget him.
David was such a lovely, generous, and kind friend. I will miss his presence in this world.
David Huddle was a great writer and such a kind man. I remember visiting him in Vermont (after a residency) and he invited me and my husband in for an impromptu spaghetti dinner and much laughter and conversation. I also remember his kind words of condolence for me and the poem he sent about his own mother (when my mom passed away) Such a lovely human being he was–
David did a long residence at our university, Austin Peay, a while back. He was gracious and supportive of students and faculty alike. He set the bar for a visiting writer. I felt honored to call him my friend.
This is so David. He was whom I thought he was, kind, patience, and the best teacher I’ve ever had.