We had been in Washington, D.C. about 17 months when President John F. Kennedy was shot and killed. I noted in my Diary on 11/22/63 that, "First report came at 1:55 and about 2:30 it was confirmed that Pres. Kennedy had been shot and killed in Dallas, Texas. We were dismissed from work at 3:30. Jon was to star in a play at school on his 7th birthday. I had to take a mid-term Statistics exam that evening". It is impossible to describe the change that took place in the mood of the City with the news. Kennedy had brought optimism and excitement about the future, and now he was gone. Someone said, "We will never be young again" and that is how we felt. There was continuous TV coverage the next day (Saturday) where it was confirmed that Lee Harvey Oswald was the assassin. We went to early Church on Sunday and churches were filled throughout the Country. We saw the live coverage of Jack Ruby shooting Oswald. That evening, President Kennedy "Ly-in -State" at the Capital Rotunda which stayed open all night. At one time the line for viewing the flag-draped casket was 32 blocks long.
Government Offices in D.C. were closed on Monday for the funeral. We went to a Memorial Service at our Church and then went down to the west end of Memorial Bridge where we could see the Funeral Cartage pass by on their way to Arlington Cemetery. It was an awesome sight to see the 6 white horses and the flag draped coffin. It was a solemn audience as shown on the faces of Elaine and the kids (Carolyn was about to sneeze). Jon even put on a white shirt and necktie. While it was a cool day, it was bright and sunny. The next day the weather seemed to change from fall to winter and that is how we felt.
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