I was 10 when JFK became our 35th President in 1961. He came after Eisenhower. JFK was young and handsome with a beautiful wife and daughter. Being 10, I wasn't much interested in the Government, but every morning while I got ready for school my dad would have the news on the TV. When you only have one TV in the house you watched what the grown ups watched.
It would show his news conferences. It was mostly fun. The reporters would laugh..he would laugh. I thought I might grow up and marry a President like him. You notice my 10 year old brain could not even conceive that I could be President.
I was 12 on Friday, Nov. 22, 1963. I was in the 7th grade at St.Fidelis and I had Sr. Theresa.
It was after lunch that an announcement came over the speaker from the Principle's office that the president was shot and needed our prayers. I remember watching Sr. Theresa's face and I could tell she was upset. So, down we got on our knees and prayed the President would be ok.
At some point Sr. Theresa left the room and came back looking upset. I can't remember now if there was another announcement to pray for him.
School was over. I walked to Woolworths to see my sister who worked there. She worked in the back in the office. I asked her if she heard anything about the President and she told me he died.
I remember walking home on Main Street, looking at the faces of the people I passed and wondered why they were not crying. Did they know? I felt like crying.
Monday, Nov. 25th was his funeral. The nation was shut down, people had no work, stores (mostly) were closed. Everyone was watching the funeral at home.
Not long ago my Son in law said he was talking to someone and they said the whole nation mourned the President. I said yes. He said the WHOLE COUNTRY shut down. I said, YES, the whole country watched the funeral in shock and sadness.
Everyone who was old enough will tell you exactly where they were when Kennedy got shot.
