Read Online Letters to Jackie by Ellen Fitzpatrick - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Ellen Fitzpatrick
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then made the augury that if Mr Kennedy should survive these attempts through his term or terms in office, that he would go down in American history as one of the greatest presidents that our nation has ever had.
I now return to the time of yesterday, as the reports poured in from the people on my route (almost from house to house) on the Presidents condition, a prayer was on my lips as with millions of other Americans for his recovery. My prayer continued up to & beyond the time of the even more tragic news of his death, that he would survive recuperate & carry on his term of office, thus fulfilling the last part of prophecy.
After returning home & listening to the news reports & then spending a restless night still clinging to the hope it was all a nightmare, I was confronted with the blazing headlines of the morning paper, only then was I fully aware of the awful tragedy.
I know now that my prayers were not in vain. for Mr. Kennedy was a very great man and as truly a great president. I am proud, just as millions of other Americans must be, to have served under a president with courage beyond compare.
Respectfully yours,
Leonard C. Rice
----
POMONA, CALIFORNIA
FEBRUARY 4, 1964
Dear Mrs. Kennedy,
I feel a great need to express to you the shock, dismay and grief that I, my family and everyone I know, felt at your husband’s tragic death. Even now, months later, it is impossible to view his name or his picture without a lump coming into my throat. An old Peter Lawford motion picture on television will remind me of your husband, and I cannot bear to watch.
My husband and I had looked forward to November 22 for almost a year. We had gone through all the red tape of adopting a wonderful little boy from the Los Angeles County Bureau of Adoptions, and the final steps to make him our legal son were to be taken on November 22. All our thoughts and efforts that week were directed to our morning in court which was to be a cause for celebration.
We were not even aware of the President’s trip to Texas. Sitting in court in our best clothes, waiting to be called into the judge’s chambers we heard the first report of the shooting from a late arriving lawyer. We were shocked and though we took our turn in the judge’s chambers and our son became our heir, our thoughts were on the President and you.
In our lawyer’s office as we directed him regarding the drawing up of our wills, we heard the unconfirmed news of the President’s death. We hurriedly finished our business with the lawyer and dashed home where we learned the final truth from the television.
My husband is normally an undemonstrative man. He was on the verge of tears.
We lived in a vacuum that week end. Watching television, unable to escape one minute from the tragedy, it was worse than a family death for us. And many have said publicly, your dignity and self control were majestic. We were very proud of you and of your children, the sight of whom broke our hearts.
When your official year of mourning is over, I hope that you will return to some facet of public life. You are qualified to enter so many fields—art, journalism, government, fashion, etc. You truly have becomea symbol and a goal for American womanhood with your sense of beauty, dignity and grace.
This letter is most inadequate, but it is my only way to express my deep concerns for you and your family.
Sincerely,
Janeen Ostby
----
UNIVERSITY OF MASSACHUSETTS
Dear Mrs. Kennedy:
I have never seen our football players cry…but today, they did.
Martin Rosenberg ’65
U of Mass
----
CUSTER, MICHIGAN
NOVEMBER 23, 1963
Most Gracious Lady, Jackie and children,
May I, one of the millions of little people dedicated to serving under our President, and a clerk in a small third class office of the Postal Department extend my deepest sympathy to you and yours at this time.
At the announcement of the tragedy my associate and I immediately began a silent prayer that our beloved leader would live. When
I now return to the time of yesterday, as the reports poured in from the people on my route (almost from house to house) on the Presidents condition, a prayer was on my lips as with millions of other Americans for his recovery. My prayer continued up to & beyond the time of the even more tragic news of his death, that he would survive recuperate & carry on his term of office, thus fulfilling the last part of prophecy.
After returning home & listening to the news reports & then spending a restless night still clinging to the hope it was all a nightmare, I was confronted with the blazing headlines of the morning paper, only then was I fully aware of the awful tragedy.
I know now that my prayers were not in vain. for Mr. Kennedy was a very great man and as truly a great president. I am proud, just as millions of other Americans must be, to have served under a president with courage beyond compare.
Respectfully yours,
Leonard C. Rice
----
POMONA, CALIFORNIA
FEBRUARY 4, 1964
Dear Mrs. Kennedy,
I feel a great need to express to you the shock, dismay and grief that I, my family and everyone I know, felt at your husband’s tragic death. Even now, months later, it is impossible to view his name or his picture without a lump coming into my throat. An old Peter Lawford motion picture on television will remind me of your husband, and I cannot bear to watch.
My husband and I had looked forward to November 22 for almost a year. We had gone through all the red tape of adopting a wonderful little boy from the Los Angeles County Bureau of Adoptions, and the final steps to make him our legal son were to be taken on November 22. All our thoughts and efforts that week were directed to our morning in court which was to be a cause for celebration.
We were not even aware of the President’s trip to Texas. Sitting in court in our best clothes, waiting to be called into the judge’s chambers we heard the first report of the shooting from a late arriving lawyer. We were shocked and though we took our turn in the judge’s chambers and our son became our heir, our thoughts were on the President and you.
In our lawyer’s office as we directed him regarding the drawing up of our wills, we heard the unconfirmed news of the President’s death. We hurriedly finished our business with the lawyer and dashed home where we learned the final truth from the television.
My husband is normally an undemonstrative man. He was on the verge of tears.
We lived in a vacuum that week end. Watching television, unable to escape one minute from the tragedy, it was worse than a family death for us. And many have said publicly, your dignity and self control were majestic. We were very proud of you and of your children, the sight of whom broke our hearts.
When your official year of mourning is over, I hope that you will return to some facet of public life. You are qualified to enter so many fields—art, journalism, government, fashion, etc. You truly have becomea symbol and a goal for American womanhood with your sense of beauty, dignity and grace.
This letter is most inadequate, but it is my only way to express my deep concerns for you and your family.
Sincerely,
Janeen Ostby
----
UNIVERSITY OF MASSACHUSETTS
Dear Mrs. Kennedy:
I have never seen our football players cry…but today, they did.
Martin Rosenberg ’65
U of Mass
----
CUSTER, MICHIGAN
NOVEMBER 23, 1963
Most Gracious Lady, Jackie and children,
May I, one of the millions of little people dedicated to serving under our President, and a clerk in a small third class office of the Postal Department extend my deepest sympathy to you and yours at this time.
At the announcement of the tragedy my associate and I immediately began a silent prayer that our beloved leader would live. When
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