By Ruth Koehler

Special to the Dispatch

It was November 22, 1963 in Minneapolis.  I was working at Hardware Mutuals Insurance on 24th and Hennepin operating an 826 Processor, forerunner of the modern computer.  I liked my work and was able to walk the five blocks from 19th and Stevens Avenue.

My work consisted of processing insurance claims of all kinds.  I will share a more memorable claim.  Pan-O-Gold made bread in a building in downtown Minneapolis.  This particular claim stated a consumer bought a loaf of bread from Pan-O-Gold.  Upon opening the sliced loaf,  a cut up mouse was in the loaf, all of the parts lying neatly within each slice.  Of course the consumer’s goal was to sue for this mental anguish and pain.  There were other bizarre claims, but this is one I recall vividly.  Fortunately, most claims were run-of-the mill normal.

Our claims workload was suddenly broken as we looked forward to see Don Freeburg jump up, running as he shouted “President Kennedy has been shot!”  Everyone stared, mouths open, eyes transfixed.  After what seemed like an eternity, the announcement came that the president had indeed been shot and was dead!  We were all to go home and listen for any further work related announcements.  It was so devastating, we talked very little as we left the building.  While walking outside, I recall the same Don Freeburg jumping into his car and driving wildly away.  I have little recollection of my walk home.

After climbing numbly upstairs to our little apartment I turned on the television.  Every channel gave the same shocking news, and I recall Walter Cronkite’s message being repeated. 

Taking off his glasses, he struggled with these words “President Kennedy has been shot and has been pronounced dead.”   His strong emotion showed, his statement going down in history as having been very difficult for him.

No more John Fitzgerald Kennedy and Jacqueline together! The why of it all was confusing, finally pointing to Lee Harvey Oswald acting alone in the shooting.  Later this was disputed and is to this day as conspiracy stories materialized.  Several television shorts and series were made of the theories with many folks still disbelieving that Oswald acted alone.

One thousand days of Camelot.  I even had to buy this DVD and loved it.  Since that time, many truths and untruths have surfaced about President Kennedy attesting that their marriage was not so ideal since he had had several affairs with other women.  His father, Joe Kennedy, raised his sons with some rather strange ideas regarding a man’s sex life.  Why does this stuff always get dug up after the fact?  I really did like him as our president.

When one idolizes someone, sooner or later ugly truths come out; if not truths, than ugly lies.  Regardless, John Fitzgerald Kennedy gave the country hope for the future with his youth, charm and wisdom.  Theirs was an extremely wealthy family wishing to help everyone live a better life.  Whatever the motives, whether it be wanting power, genuine kindness, greediness, people were buying it, maybe so much that it had to be stopped.

My naiveté was still intact while watching the sad scenario of JFK’s funeral, watching little three-year old John John saluting the casket and flag all became too much.  Watching through my tears, I managed to get through it all, only to be blown away when Lee Harvey Oswald was shot on live television!  How could this be happening with so many people around him as he was being led away?  Next the story came out about Jack Ruby wanting Oswald dead and more and more and more confusing details.  Even today, the truth seeming to be sure, really is not.

Fast forward to today.  In this day of political upheaval, I can’t help but wonder if we are farther ahead of 1963.  Technology brings political actions to us immediately, often without our approval.  While people may not have changed so much, actions are now more difficult to hide from public view.  People view politicians more negatively, often due to media coverage.  The actions of November 22, 1963 opened my eyes to a whole sinister world that surrounds us.  I see all the negativity as a danger to all,  yet I still remain optimistic for goodness to prevail.