Excerpts from 'Letters to Jackie'

[March 08, 2010]  Excerpts from letters published in "Letters to Jackie: Condolences from a Grieving Nation," by Ellen Fitzpatrick. (HarperCollins 2010, $26.99)

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"May I extend my heartfelt sympathy and prayers to you and your family? I do so admire your courage and strength. It has been an inspiration to me the way you have conducted yourself. You see Mrs Kennedy, my husband died of a heart attack while sitting at the table drinking a glass of milk on Friday, November 22, at about the same time your husband and our beloved President was killed. We were listening to the news about your husband when my husband had his attack. His last words were "how could anyone have such hate in his heart that he could do such a thing to our President. ... I can truly sympathize with you as I am going through the same adjustment -- that of adjusting to your life without the man you love by your side."

--Margaret McLean, Charlotte, N.C., Jan. 17, 1964.

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"I have never before written to a Congressman, President or any type of Statesmen. In fact, in my thirty some years of living I have never DONE MUCH OF ANYTHING except vote, toward being an American or making this Country a better place in which to live.

Today, however, my heart is SO HEAVY I feel I must express myself to you. I feel I must tell you how VERY ASHAMED I am to be living in this city. Dallas -- a city of cultural background -- a city of colleges, schools and supposedly intelligent people. God would that I could move from this place this hour."

--Robert L. Wood, Dallas, Texas, Nov. 22, 1963.

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"I am a Florida Dairy Farmer who has been a lifelong Republican. I am also Protestant and have been anti-Kennedy since 1960.

However I feel a desperate urge to exend my deepest sympathy to your children and to you. As an American I'm deeply ashamed at the manner in which the President met his end. As an American I'm also very proud of the great courage you displayed during the entire ordeal.

I have talked with many of my friends who have like back grounds and I can assure you their feelings are 100 pct the same as mine. We are so sorry."

--Russell E. Weir, Brandon, Fla., Nov. 27, 1963.

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"The reason that I have not written you was because I am poorly educated and was ashamed to write you altho down in my heart my prayers + thoughts were with you and your family.

I am colored and 65 years old and John F. Kennedy is the only man that fought a mighty battle for the freedom of my race of people that might have their equal rights here in America, which has been lacking since Abraham Lincoln. But I consider John F. Kennedy much greater than Lincoln. ... I only wish that there was some way for me to help lift the terrible burdan and heart ache that I know that you are still carrying."

--Mrs. Andrew Burril, Mattoon, Ill., Nov. 22, 1964.

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"I am only thirteen and I know you are well educated, but I still feel I could give you some advice.

I have been operated on four times for polio and I am now recouporating from a broken hip, but I know you too have problems so I will tell you my remedy for smiling and happiness. Always sing "You Gotta Have Heart" from Damn Yankee's and I think you'll be happy. I doubt whether or not you'll read it, but the aid whose reading this letter; it goes for you to."

--Janis Hirsch, Trenton, N.J., Jan. 16, 1964.

[Associated Press]

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