The message forum is intended to be an ongoing dialogue between classmates. There are no items, topics, subtopics that are off limits; as we hope to promoted open conversation. Forums work when we participate, so don't be bashful! Click the "Post Response" button to add your entry to the forum.

Mike Minnis

I was in the middle of a history class at the University of Oklahoma. The class was 300 plus in a large auditorium. The history professor announced the shooting and then began a 20 - minute diatribe about how the evil right wing kooks had perpetrated this vile attempt [Kennedy's death was not yet public knowledge] to kill the president. After class, I went to the Delt House and watched television until about 5:00 PM when I attended a memorial Mass presided over by [I believe] Father Sweat. The death of President Kennedy had a profound adverse affect on the country. It gave the country LBJ, a vile man who gave us the Viet Nam War [Kennedy's involvement in Diem's assassination earlier in November 1963 set the stage for more American involvement], The Great Society, The War on Poverty, assorted other big government projects, and the idea that the president and Congress are not restrained by the Constitution.

Gordon Butler

I was in Accounting Class at Saint Edward's University in Austin.  I was planning to go with a classmate to Bergstrom Air Force base at 3 that afternoon to see the President.  He was coming to Austin after Dallas.   A fellow student came to the door of the classroom at 1 saying the President had been shot.  That day was so sad for me.  I remember everything on campus during that weekend was gloomy.  Conversations were quiet and short.  The confession line was long on Saturday night. 

I wrote Jackie a condolence letter in early 1964.  I am so glad I did.  I still have her response.

At 12:30 this Friday I hope to be alone for a few moments.  

Nancy Rueb (Hughey)

I had just returned from class at OSU when the girls across the hall came running in saying the president had been shot.  At the time there were a lot of Kennedy jokes going around and I thought it was some sort of sick joke.  The rest of the day was spent in disbelief and tears.  The girls who announced to us that he'd been shot had been raised to be anti-Catholic but they asked to go to mass with us (Judy Cowden Smith was my roommate) that day.

Nancy Rueb Hughey

Myrtle Haskins (Mohassan El Bey, Ph. D. )

November 22, 1963
 

When I look back to the twenty-second of November tears begin to formulate reflecting the death of President John F. Kennedy.  Being a former U.S. Peace Corps Volunteer I live daily remembering his quote "Ask not what the country can do for you, but what you can do for your country."  What was I doing on that day? I was actually in Washington, D. C. attending a five day Civil Rights Summit housed in Bethesda, Maryland at the National BSA Council facilities with two hundred other university students from around the country.  The high point of the summit was to meet with President John F. Kennedy at the White House, however, he had to leave for Dallas Texas. Therefore, Senator Hurbert Humphrey spoke with us the morning to 22nd November 1963.  After a brief lunch, our group of seven Catholic students from the University of Central Oklahoma boarded the van back to Edmond, Oklahoma. As we were passing through Virgina, a Holiday Inn marquee in "red" letters stated the President had been shot.  Unbelievable!  It was just unbelievable.  We could not accept or believe that could happen in that day and time in our country, not to President John F. Kennedy.  Not to the President, who was fighting to protect the rights of all Americans; not to the President who initiated the U.S. Peace Corps organization to support third world countries; not to the President who brokered the Nuclear Test-Ban Treaty and the Alliance for Progress; not to the President that stepped in the Bay of Pigs; not to the President who averted the Cuban Missile Crisis. The Soviet Union miscalculated President Kennedy. The President's response was: "Let every nation know, whether it wishes us well or ill that we shall pay any price, bear any burden, meet any hardship, support any friend, oppose any foe to assure the survival and success of liberty."

I thank you for reading my response to the question. It's my pleasure to share these few thoughts left in my memory bank of goodies.  May the essence of joy, harmony, and love touch your heart, the hearts of your family members in knowing we have had a few really dedicated presidents in this country.

Myrtle (Mohassan El Bey)
704-649-2417
 

David Connor Cooper

It was a beautiful clear sunny fall day I was walking to class at OSU...........a member of our house on his way back from class said the presdent had been shot.................I thought he was joking and waited for the punch line.............no really he has been shot..........I continued to class, but the rest of the day was a blurr...............watched the evening news still it was hard to believe........................a shame that we we were not able to see the "Camelot Era" play out. 

Pete Brown

On the 22nd of November I was attending to my duties as the "maintenance man" at the Kappa Delta house at the University of Oklahoma.  I was actually mopping the back stairs and was just coming down from the 3rd floor to the 2nd floor landing when one of the girls rushed out of her room and said that the President had been shot.  At first I thought she meant George Cross who was President of the University at the time.  It was inconceivable to me that someone could actually shoot the President of the United States.  

The rest of the day was somewhat a blur but I had a date that evening with Barbara Borelli (who later became my wife) and had planned to ask her if she would accept my fraternity pin (a form of pre-engagement).  I considered postponing until a later date but decided otherwise and now we sadly will always remember the day we got pinned.

I remember organizing a caravan for( the then candidate for President) Kennedy when he came to Oklahoma City.  I was chairman of the Oklahoma Young Democrats and I persuaded several car dealers to "loan" us a number of convertibles for the caravan from the airport, stopping at Redding Square, and ultimately going to the Civic Center in downtown OKC.  I was introduced to him during this process and he shook my hand and thanked me for my support.  I believe he was the most charismatic individual I have ever met.

Tom Walker

NOVEMBER 3, 1960

I was at Redding Shopping Center, which was in the vicinity of SW 44th and S Western, with Pete Brown and others, where we were canvassing shoppers in advance of Kennedy's arrival. I believe that Paul Johnston, a lay volunteer with YCS was with us (Paul was also a businessman involved in the development of Quail Creek and the Crested Butte Ski Area). Kennedy spoke from atop a flat bed trailer and I believe that some in our group were seen on the trailer with him in a picture in the next morning's newspaper. We were all overcome by his charm and the force of his presence! This is a snippet from his speech that day:

I speak of a strong America - strong in economy and resources and the dedication of our citizens - because I am concerned about the future of our country. I am concerned about the future of freedom around the world. I am concerned about our declining prestige, our sensitive alliances, the delicate balance of power. I think you share my concern. I think you recognize the need for leadership in this period that is thoughtful but courageous, prudent but firm, well-informed but imaginative. 
 
In 1939, I saw in Europe what happened to those lulled into a complacent sleep by leaders who talked of peace instead of building for it. And when France fell to the Nazis, one of its most illustrious leaders declared: "Our spirit of enjoyment was greater than our spirit of sacrifice. We wanted to have more than we wanted to give. We spared effort, and we met disaster."

I run for the Presidency in 1960 in the conviction that the people of this country are willing to sacrifice - to give - to spare no effort. And it is in that conviction that I ask your help tonight.
 

John F. Kennedy visited Oklahoma on at least six occasions. He came to the state twice after being elected president in 1960. His final visit was to attend a memorial service for Sen. Robert S. Kerr.

Frank J Shidler Jr

November 20, 2013

The day of Kennedy's assassination was significant to me in many ways. Not only a sophomore at Oklahoma State, I was also on the Varsity football team. I had worked my way up to the third team,the traveling team, and was looking forward to the next game....Kansas State. At that time, the K-State was the conference doormat. We had only beat U of Tulsa,and I just knew I was going to get to play in the K-State game. As I was returning to the dorm & then prepare for practice, a student passed me and asked, " did you hear President Kennedy got shot." As a team, we prepared for the game not knowing if we would play the  game or not. The game was canceled, I didn't get in the game & probably saved me from getting blindsided in the game. We stayed up all night watching the coverage. It was a very somber weekend and vivid memory of the complete weekend. 

David Dodson

There should be three days of which we, our class, can remember "where were we when..."  

The first universally recognized and memorable event for our generation is the assasination of John F. Kennedy.  I distinctly remember having left lunch in the South Dining Hall and walking down the South Quad in front of the Bookstore and Old Post Office when the bells starting tolling on the (now) Bacilica of Notre Dame.  I knew that either meant that the pope or the president had died.  Many of us went to the (then) cathedral and were there told the news.  As students at a Catholic university, we were all in shock.  This truely changed things forever for our country.

Next we, the students of McGuinness High School, should recall the bombing of the Murray Building.  I had selected a light touring motorcycle for this trip and was somewhere between North Carolina and Oklahoma on a two week trip visiting ancient Indiana mound sites when I heard the news at a motel in Arkansas.  Two days later I arrived at my planned stop in Oklahoma City to visit my parents.  I immediately rode downtown.  The temporary chain link barrier was already up and people had placed cards, flowers and ribbons on the fence.  The ribbons reminded me of those placed by Indians at Bear Butte, in South Dakota which is considered sacred ground to the local tribes.  I believe  it once again denoted sacred ground.  I found a shop and bought several small Oklahoma flags and place one half way up the antenna on the back of the bike (half-mast), in honor of those lost in the bombing.  We must never forget that this happened in our home town and "on American soil."

The last such mometous event was far more personal.  As Barbara and I sat on the tarmac at Morristown, NJ airport awaiting our enroute clearance home, clearance delivery couldn't get a realease from New York Departure.  After waiting 30 minutes, the local tower cleared us for a departure West with an altitude restriction of 2600 feet.  This would give us only about 2 minutes to pick up our enroute clearance from NY Departure before we starting crossing the mountains of Western New Jersey and Pennsylvania.  On our westerly heading, NY immediately gave us our clearance and we proceeded across Pennsylvania.  The second planee had hit the twin towers five minutes prior to our departure.  If we had of received a departure clearance from NY as usual, the published departure would have had us turn directly toward the towers, only about 6 miles away before we would turn South; but this day we departed to the West.  Passing over Allentown we were told that a plane had hit the towers.  We took out paper charts (the plane's displays make these  normally unnecessary).  We tried to determine what flight paths around the city could even result in such an accident.  We wondered if the plane fell after hitting injuring people on the sidewalks and streets below.  We had just eaten at a restaurant across the street the night before and parked in a parking garage that we later learned was destroyed.  Over Harrisburg, PA, we were told to change altitude and transponder code; after that we heard no further communications -- the world was silent.  Near Pittsburgh, as we listened to their automated information we learned that planes were to land or "return to point of departure."  We were too far for that so we landed in New Castle, PA, wanting to avoid commercial airports like our planned destination of Akron-Canton, sensing that something was happening.  When we entered the office, we learned that two and a half hours earlier, the tower had been hit by airliners and we watched with the world the collapse of the towers.  I later learned that none of the people I worked with in the insurance offices of the 103rd floor oof the North Tower had been there when this happened.  My son walked 134 blocks home since subways were stopped and our daughter-in-law, who often worked in the financial district, turned around from a trip to Connecticut as soon as she heard and before the city was closed that night.  Until she got home, our son Jeff (also an ND grad) didn't know if she was still down there in the Price-Waterhouse offices or had started on her trip.  We must "never forget" that day.

Gloria Bullinger (Lepak)

Well tomorrow is the big day that the most wonderful President was assassinated.

I was at OSU in a psychology class when the Professor announced that President Kennedy

had been shot.  I as many others in the class could not really believe such a horrific thing

had taken place.  Tears were running down many of our faces.  Like many, the rest of the

day was a blurr.  Louie Lepak, the man I married, and I talked for hours about what had happened.

It is still hard for me to take all of that day in.  He was a GREAT man.  May God Bless Him and

his ideas always.

Jim Maney

  November 22, 1963 found me a sophomore at the Univeristy of Dallas.  I passed up a chance to go downtown for the Kennedy motorcade as it would have made me miss a class I was already overcut in. Three hours later, I was leaving theology class at 1250, when a classmate who was not the most credible of sources told us Kennedy had been shot but few of us gave him any credence.  Exiting the building, I encountered a friend who was a Hungarian refugee of the 1956 revolution.  He was white as a sheet and said "some son-of-a-bitch shot the President!"  When I remembered Mike  had been in Budapest during the revolution spreading lime on the dead bodies in the street, I began to believe.

     A group of people were gathered aroung a transisitor radio outside the Student Union, listening to WRR-AM, the city-owned Mutual affiliate. Frank Singheiser, one of the giants of radio news was trying to get information straight in the Mutual New York newsroom.  I remember him saying that Kennedy had been taken to "Landpark" hospital, which all of us knew as Parkland, a building we could almost see from the campus.  I went into the cafeteria where they were piping in radio from what station I never knew, and at 122 that station announed Kennedy had died.  Evidently, they relaying the news from Fr Oscar Huber who had anointed the president.  I did not find out until hours later that the official announcement was only later at 135.

   From there some of us went to the chapel, then eventually to the dorm lounge to watch television--CBS and Cronkite at first, later NBC with Frank McGee and David Brinkley.  Watching the television coverage all weekend in Dallas was likely very different from watching in other cities, for while we received the network coverage, there were frequent cutaways to the local affiliates where it was the biggest local story of their lives.  Some of the local reports then became feeds to the host network.

   After Oswald was shot on Sunday morning {I found out from the priest at Sunday Mass in the chapel} we all pretty much decided the world had gone totally nuts.  The university announced all tests scheduled for Monday to Wednesday would be postponed {such exams were a common strategy to keep students on campus until the official start of Thanksgiving vacation on Wednesday}.  It was also announced that absences for those days would not be penalized.  As a result, I fiangled my way out to Love Field and onto a Braniff flight back to OKC, and watched the funeral the nexy day at home.

   In the half century {egad!} since I have relived that day with people who exerienced it in places as diverse as Rome, Sydney, Tokyo, and Johannesburg.  While there is a universality to the experience somehow it has always seemed different to those of us who were close to it.  I cannot count the number of times when people found out I graduated from the University of Dallas and they would immediately ask if I was there when "it" happened.  One always knew what "it" was. 

   On the 40th anniversary in 2003, I casually asked a co-worker at SATO, a woman about my age where she was that day only to find out she was working at Fidelity Union Insurance on Main Street in Dallas and had seen the motorcade pass by about three blocks from the turn off of Main at Dealey Plaza.  It was a uncanny bond to have shared the experience.

   I would urge any of my classmates who are in or passing through Dallas with a few hours to spare to go to the Sixth Floor Musuem in the quondam Texas School Book Depository.  It costs a few bucks, but is a trenchant reminder of the events of that weekend, presented in a tasteful and balanced way.  I resisted going for years but one Sunday a few years ago I had time to kill before a flight, and went.  I found it a strangely moving experience, as most people of our generation surely will.          

Stephanie O'Brien (Brownell)

When the idea came by email, to post feelings and thoughts about November 22, I thought what a neat idea it was, but probably I would not post anything. Well, after reading the different posts, it made me realize how very important it is to connect with friends far and wide, on the same subject, and all having such similar feelings and remembrances. Well, this is the day that was 50 years ago. Those of us living in Dallas today, are really experiencing all the effects of 50 years ago, with all the  local news coverage, and the media from all over being here. It brings the news back as though it were happening all over again. We can all remember exactly where we were and what we were doing on that fateful day, we were so young, and so full of hope, never dreaming we would ever live thru such a horrible ordeal. The President that we all loved, admired, and respected, remembering back when he was elected, in our sophomore year, had been shot and killed, we were all in shock. That just couldn't happen in our young world. It left its ugly mark on all of us, a rude awakening to a world that we had never known up until that day. We were all absolutely glued to the TV from that moment on all week end long, seeing everything first hand, with non believing eyes. Our world had changed forever. It is still as sad to me today, as it was then, the funeral, the carriage, the procession, little John John saluting his father, Jackie walking behind the carriage, well, we all know how sad it was.

My goal for myself, in life, was to live in Dallas. When the event happened, the idea of living in Dallas scared me, I began to wonder about this place that I had always loved and wanted to be apart of. Of course that was youthful thinking. Here I am today, living in Dallas, and I love every inch of the City. One never drives downtown, around Dealey plaza, that you don't see people all around looking and pointing to the "6th floor" window, and you just know they are trying to figure out how in the world that all happened.  It is so terribly sad that ugly thing had to happen in Dallas, but even more, it is so terribly sad that ugly thing had to happen at all. 

This was a wonderful idea to do these posts, thank you. It has been meaningful to me, to put feelings down in black and white, and to hear from all of you that shared your feelings. It makes one realize we are all in this boat together. It gives me a true sense of unification. 

May the JFK family rest in peace.

Stephanie Brownell

Stephanie Dillon (Hamm)

These are all so wonderful! Thank you!

I was in the morning class with Andre Tremaine, Pacific Ballet Theater on Westwiood Blvd. in West LA. When he heard he ran out the door and let out a scream.  That primordial scream has remained with me until now. I just reminded him on Facebook.

That evening in company class he said, "Well - I guess in life we are all dispensible." referring to the fact that VP Johnson had already been sworn in as President.

Yes - it was a very difficult time - but I did admire Johnson for how he continued some of the ideas of Kennedy - especially on the issue of civil rights and poverty. These seeds were definitely planted in me at McGuinness.

Thank you!

Stephanie Dillon (Hamm)

Just have to say again - this was a wonderful idea!

I appreciate all of your stories so much! You are all incredibly sensitive.

Stephanie

Cheryl "Charlie" Nall (Jones)

My staff used to call me a "muller", a charge to which I readily agree. I certainly had to mull quite a while over this one. Recognizing the impact of Kennedy's murder took a long time and it took me a while to think about that journey to awareness. 

I was in the second year of nursing school at St. John Hospital in Tulsa. Some of us had gathered off campus to work on some project or to cram for an exam perhaps. We had not turned on the radio nor the TV because we really were working. One of us went out to bring in a pizza and brought back the news without the pizza. We were all in shock and spent the afternoon watching the TV coverage. 

School was so intense and my involvement from morning to night kept me from noticing much about the outside world. I knew Kennedy was President but I was naive about the politics of the nation at that time. After graduation I married and had two sons to raise. But gradually I came to realize what we had all missed by his early death. Since then I have looked for evidence of a social conscience among the qualifications for elected office. 

Murrah Building Bombing

I was at work in a building that was near the Murrah building and was looking out the window when the building exploded.I was very shaken by that sight. A group of nurses went to St Anthony Hospital to volunteer to help in the Emergency Room but they sent us home after a while because there were so few survivors. That was the most horrible announcement. Later we learned about all of the children that were killed. 

9/11

I was driving to work the day of the attacks. Cars were pulling off the road and stopping, the drivers sobbing behind the wheel. I drove to work but we just sat and watched the live TV all day. Some of my colleagues had family in the twin towers and that made it personal for all of us.

Dorothy Kolb (Posel)

Really late in posting about JFK's assisination.....   I was on the charity ward at Santa Rosa Hospital in San Antonio, TX....getting ready to give patient baths, I think.   There was alot of stunned silence and sobbing going on.  As a student at Incarnate Word College we had seen him and Jackie in a slow moving motorcade  down Broadway Avenue just a few days before.  Our nursing club president stepped out to the (slow moving) motorcade and presented Jackie with some yellow roses.  I was working in a German hospital when Robert Kennedy was shot.   My co-workers couldn't imagine how/what was going on in the USA.

Chris Sprehe

Dear Classmates:  Open this link and enjoy, & and then pass on to your kids about our lives in the 50's & 60s.

The Best Of Times

Note that there are 3 Parts

http://biggeekdad.com/2013/01/thebestoftimes/

Diana Tinker (Chervinko)

On this day 70 years ago today I made my appearance in Enid OK.  My Dad was overseas at the RAF airfield at Deopham Green in England.  He was flight engineer/top turret gunner on a B-17 bomber, the MugWump II.  From late May to the end of August he flew 35 missions.  He kept a little pocket diary of those missions.  I transcribed it several years ago.  Because this is the 70^th anniversary of those missions, my youngest son began posting the entry for each day on Facebook.  I want to share today’s entry.  I added the picture we chose to accompany it to my profile.

““June 4-44 Sun.

Today we blew hell out of some more costal [sic.] guns near Boulogne Fr.  Just a little flack but nothing to speak of.  6 hrs in the air.  Ah! We have a [sic.] 8 hr. pass.  So long.

By the way this mission earned us the Air Medal.”

So he was on leave for D-day.  I suspect the crews that were part of the prep were given a break and fresh crews flew D-day.  Just my speculation.

How about the rest of you?  I’m sure each of you has a family story to tell.

David Dodson

I have continually recalled Sr. Pauline (Martha King) through the years since MHS.  She was a real inspiration to me just through her dedication and hard-working character.  Many of you don’t know me as a teacher, although I’ve mentioned that I’ve taught things.  Starting in 1973, I’ve taught flying and still occasionally teach a student or advanced pilot.  In Florida, I taught Government Contract Law at Nova Southeastern.  Up here I taught motorcycle safety.  After retirement, I taught statistics and a few other courses in the MBA Program  for five years at Indiana Weslayan’s business school.  Throughout this time, I have had Sr. Pauline’s memory as inspiration.  My main memory was her grading all our papers or tests overnight and having results the next day — every time!  I have tried to have that same dedication to my students in whatever venue I taught.  She was truly a remarkable teacher and should remain an inspiration to all of us in whatever capacity we serve others.

David Dodson

Jim Kelley

David--I am spending some time re-reading portions of our Class website and once again came across your comments regarding Martha King (Sr. Pauline) as a teacher. I simply wanted to add to your excellent comments that what has stayed with me about Martha was her unending enthusiasm for just about everything she encountered in her remarkable life of service to others. As the years went by after high school, I often worked with her on projects or would see her at various events. Invariably she would ask about my life and my challenges and---invariably---she would always respond with encouraging remarks such as: "You can do it, Jim." I always came away from our conversations with a new determination to succeed. Martha, along with my Dad, taught me that criticism is often needed but encouragement is the magic gift of any mentor or parent.

John Bane

A little research turned up these gems.

Here's a few MHS Football memories from the Fall of 1961.  Enjoy!

John Bane

DOWN MEMORY LANE WITH THE FIGHTING iRISH IN THE FALL OF 1961

Sixty years ago tomorrow the Fighting Irish traveled to Tulsa for a Sunday game

against their rival, Cascia Hall.  The game was tied with five minutes left in the game,

but with two long runs by Tom Sullivan the Irish clinched the Catholic High School

State Championship. The Notre Dame recruiters came calling soon after, and Tom

left for South Bend in the Fall.

(A story about a few Irish boys torching the Cascia Hall bonfire a week earlier can

be found on this website under the 'Let's Discuss' banner)

The Irish finished 8-2, with the two losses by a total of eight points.

At the end of the season, five MHS players were named to the Catholic

All-State Team. (See the article below)

Tom Sullivan, Jim Burton, and Grayson Van Horn earned Little

All-City honors, with Coach Eddie Joseph being named Coach of the Year.

***The entire Irish team acknowledges that the record would not have been as good

without the support of great MHS Pep Club and Cheerleaders, Thanks Ladies!

John Bane

                    CHRISTMAS 1961 REVISITED

Reminiscing about Christmastime our Senior year at MHS...

 In December of 1961 we were watching these shows on our black and white television;

  Our Miss Brooks, Art Linkletter's House Party, The Millionaire, Make

  Room for Daddy, The Ed Sullivan Show, and Leave it to Beaver.

And here are the top songs at Christmastime, 1961;

    WILL YOU STILL LOVE ME TOMORROW?    The Shirelles

RUNAROUND SUE.   Dion

And of course, Johnny Mathis. 'IT'S BEGINNING TO LOOK A LOT LIKE CHRISTMAS

ENJOY!

Thomas J. Sullivan

Like Bob Luetkemeyer, I was at Notre Dame on that fateful, cold cloudy day.  I was on my way back to my dorm from the ND training room, where I had received treatment for a sprained ankle.  As I neared my dorm, people were shouting out windows about what had happened.  Terribly disconcerting event and the campus was in a state of collective duscumbobulation.  We were all glued to TVs for the next few days.

Myrtle Haskins (Mohassan El Bey, Ph. D. )

In memory of Frank "CAP"https://photos.app.goo.gl/cdNNU5nHgSaQGw3f6

https://photos.app.goo.gl/cdNNU5nHgSaQGw3f6