Channel 13 News joined members at The Atrium at The Cedars, today to ask them about 
their memories of John F. Kennedy’s assassination on November 22, 1963. Four members gathered in the living room to share their recollections and the ‘loss of innocence’ that followed.
Bob Ryan recalled living in New York and, once hearing the news, followed the television broadcasts and the insanity that followed. On the day of JFK’s funeral, he closed is office and production facilities for the day. “Everyone went to church,” he explained, ” and that was the first time I recall ever hearing the National Anthem played at Catholic mass.”
Margaretmary McCann, a school teacher in Portland at the time, explained the challenge of relating the news to her fifth grade class. “We were called into the principal’s office and told the news, and upon returning to the classroom I explained that something awful had happened to the president, and that everyone was going home for the day. I remember feeling that the parents should tell their children.” Margaretmary went on to say that she had the pleasure of attending Kennedy’s inaugural ball with her sisters, and showed everyone the medallion she received that night.
A young mother living in New Jersey, Charlotte Rodetsky was nursing her newborn and tending to her toddler on his ‘noisy’ hobbyhorse when the news was aired on television. “I was busy at the time and remember thinking that some Bannana Republic had shot their president, when my husband came up from his office and told me that our president had been killed.” Charlotte then said that her community gathered for services at her synagogue, “because people were looking for a place of comfort.”
And finally, Les Brewer was in his hometown of Bar Harbor and discussed the fact that no one even knew JFK was in Dallas or why, because news was not as readily available then. Following the incident, he spent much time reading about the former president and his family – having so much respect for their intelligence and grace – and continues to wonder how the ensuing years would have been different if he had lived.
“If only it had rained that day,” MargaretMary lamented. “The car would have been protected and it would not have happened.”