Editor’s Note: Last month, one of our writers, Chuck Sterling of Kimball, suggested doing a story on the 50th anniversary of the assassination of Pres. John F. Kennedy. He was going to talk to people about where they were the day of the president’s death. Instead of going around and talking to people, I decided to ask the question on our Facebook account and see what response we would receive. Turns out, we got a big response. Here are some of the comments.
George Terrell I was walking down the hall at Deshler High School and heard (the news) rumored– then in fifth period English class it was confirmed on the loudspeaker…
Patricia Williams I was watching the TV and rocking my baby boy. Could not believe what was happening. It was like a bad dream. I remembered crying so hard.
Donna Schultz I lived there in Dallas and saw it on TV. I was so shocked
Roland Ebnet of Clinton I was in Clinton School. We had no TV at home just an old radio, so I didn’t know much about him. But in fifth grade the superintendent came to all class rooms to tell us the news. It hit us. I’ll never forget that day. The bus ride home they all talked. We were in fear, glad to get home to mom and dad.
Lori Linder I was in 5th grade in Willmar and I remember we were all stunned and scared. One girl started to cry and that made it worse. The funny thing is, this Thursday I’m going to tour that grade school and was telling my daughter that when someone says, where were you when you heard Kennedy died, on Thursday I’ll be able to say, I was right here in this classroom.
Claudette Potter My dad was stationed in Morocco…we came down the stairs and my mom was crying…it was very sad!
Tom Hoisington I was in Mrs. Cooper’s 7th grade English class in Phoenix, Ariz. I remember that Mrs. Cooper started crying and that got all of the girls in the class crying, too. I could not understand why someone would want to kill the President…it made no sense to me. The school sent everyone home and I spent the rest of the day watching the news trying to make sense of it.
Betty Wilson I was in elementary school watching it on TV. probably in 3rd grade so it scared us little kids.
Charles Plattner I was at work in a barber shop in Lee’s summit.
Gloria Lopez In school, the teacher next door came running into our class and told our teacher we all went to the class next door and watched it on the TV she had, I remember her crying we went home early that day
Allie Kogen Leibowitz Crossed my mind a few weeks ago that with the 50th anniversary of that horrible weekend coming up soon, I expected there will be far more press/media attention than there have been in previous years. Ive thought of it often.
Brenda Kay I was 17 years old . I sat down and cried when I heard about it on the radio.
Skip Deckman I was in 8th grade science class, and didn’t realize the impact of the words that were spoken over the PA system. I just knew it was a school closed day.
SueAnn Cowfer Lane I was in 10th grade science class when I heard the news. It was devastating.
Vesta Hartley I was a senior in high school standing in the cafeteria at Hinkley High School when it was announced over the loud speaker to report to our home room. The home room teacher told us all that the president had been shot and killed. Shock and a quiet filled the room, and then sobbing. We were dismissed to go home. We were all in shock and so devastated. It was a very sad time in our lives.
Gale Robin Zengerle I was shopping with my mother, aunt, siblings and cousins at Vic’s in Kodak, Ky. when the news came over the PA system. I was in the 2nd grade. Everything stopped and got quite. Adults stood with tears running down their cheeks. Then everyone began gathering their children and leaving the store, including us. The store closed. We drove home in silence.
Nancy Packard Leasman I was in a rural “one-room” school in Ottertail County. We didn’t have a telephone or radio in the school. Daryl Zeise’s mom came to get him for a dental appointment and told us.
Candace Roberts Duncan I was in the 4th grade and got called to the office. My mom had called me to tell me what happened. When I went back to class, I told Ms. Sally the news and we immediately stood up and said the Lord’s Prayer. We were all crying and were all glued to the TV for the next few days. I’ll never forget it!
Judy Steidl of Miltona I was working at KCMT TV, it was a small operation in the REA basement back then. The teletype machine was in our office area and the bell on the machine just went crazy. I had to see what was causing that. I read the message and carried it into the control room.
James Caldwell I was in school when I heard. At first I was in disbelief that someone could actually WANT to shoot this man, and then angry. Then there was a moment’s hope, but that quickly faded when they announced that John F. Kennedy was dead and Camelot had fallen.
Randy Newman I was in 6th grade and we had just got on the school bus to go home when a teacher got on the bus and told us the President was shot.
Linda Smalling It was my birthday, I was 12 years old. I found out when I was in school. I’ll never forget that day.
Judy Spiva I was 10 years old and out in the yard playing. My grandmother came out screaming and crying that our President had just been shot. All I remember is feeling sad and scared. But I will never forget it and watching the funeral on TV.
Jackie Dee Cunningham I was in class at Broad Street Elementary school in Salem, Va.
Linda Keeney-Dyer My husband was mustering out of the Air Force. We first heard about it on TV before leaving home, then at each stop along the way we were getting updates.
Conley Ditsworth of Maricopa, Ariz. I was in high school Study Hall. It was a big shock.
Bill Lambert I was stationed at Fuchu Air Force Base in Japan and was scheduled to come back to the States in a couple of days. Some of my friends were kidding me that I would not get to, as all leaves had been cancelled, due to the Commander-in-chief being assassinated. That was a joke and I did get back home as scheduled, with a stopover in Dallas. It was a sad time in history.
Francisco Pino I was in Nicaragua, Central America. It shocked me a lot.
Barry Ferguson of Rocky Mount, Va. I was in the third grade when my teacher came in crying saying the president had been shot.
Dee Nelson of Avon, Minn. I was working as a receptionist at Warren Cadillac, Inc in Minneapolis. I was in total shock as one of the salesman came to my desk and told me. My husband was a Marine. We were planning to be married on December 21st and he did make it home to Villard, Minn. for our wedding!
Pete Smith It was my Senior Year in High School, getting ready for a California State Football Playoff game. I was at school having lunch before boarding a bus for the three hour trip to Santa Maria, Calif. By the time we got to Santa Barbara we could see the headlines that JFK was dead.
Harry Verburg of Truth or Consequences, New Mexico I was standing in line for lunch at the cafeteria at California Polytechnic State University. The dining room seated about 2,000. It was announced over the PA system – you could have heard a pin drop.
Nancy Kachadurian Kevonian of Madison Heights, Mich. I was a senior in high school. We were changing classes and the PA had the radio station broadcasting. We heard the president was shot, and I thought they were talking about some foreign country. Once we realized they were talking about President Kennedy, everyone became very quiet and most of us started crying. I remember that I began shaking. I had just lost my own mother in February, and this was like losing another close member of my family.
John O Palmer of Oklahoma City, Okla. I was a High School Sophomore in Shamrock, Texas. The Principal announced the news over PA system.
Pam Spaulding I was 12 years old and in grade school. The principle told us the news and we were all sad.
Patti Hopper of Hamersville, Ohio I was a sophomore in Home Economics class. The principle announced over the intercom that the President had been shot. Everyone was in shock. We all waited respectfully to hear if he was okay, only to be told later that he had died. The news showed Jacqueline in her pink suit with blood on it and we all cried. We were off from school for three days and watched the funeral on TV. I can still see little John-John standing there saluting his father’s coffin as they drove by. I cried every time I saw anything on TV about it. It was a very emotional time.
Carmen Borowiak I was in fourth grade English class. It was also my brother’s birthday also so I was super excited to celebrate his birthday that day. Our teacher Mrs. Burke stopped our class to tell us the President died she was so distraught and crying which the class.
Janet Fox I was in 11th grade study hall. An announcement came over the intercom and we listened. I couldn’t believe it had happened. Our teacher thought it might have been done by someone who wanted LBJ to become president since he was from Texas.
Paulette Hopper I was in school and they told us over the intercom that he had been shot. We all just sat there. Later they said he was dead and we were let out of school early.
Carole Bosek-Gath My Mom and I were watching “As the World Turns” when it came over the TV. We were shocked.
Virgil Benefield I was principal of an Oklahoma City school. All the kids cried at the assassination.
Jan Holl I woke that morning and looked at the calendar and thought November 22, 1963…this is an important day in history. I was getting ready for tennis class at Santa Ana College when I heard the news. I spent the next 3 days watching the news.
Richard Torgusen of Elbow Lake On Nov. 22, 1963, I was a sophomore at Chaska high school in Minn. After gym class, I went to tenth grade biology and everyone was sad. I asked why and found out that John Fitzgerald Kennedy was dead.