Remembering When Kennedy Was Shot

Friday, 22-November-1963 - Bay City – It was shortly after 13:30 PM in 5th-hour biology class with Mr McKinney.  I was a 13-year-old freshman (photo) at T.L. Handy High School in Bay City, Michigan.  I was an A-student, the oldest of six children.  I was a county boy and enjoyed farm work.  We had unexpectedly lost our healthy mother two years earlier, two weeks after routine surgery.  This made me grow up in a hurry.  I was working hard to become the starting catcher on my baseball team; and at school, I was on my way to becoming an engineer.  My future was bright, despite threat of nuclear war.  We had a president who successfully stood up to Soviet aggressors. Our school principal Mr Noell came on the public address system with an announcement:  "President Kennedy has just been shot in Dallas."  We were all in shock.  Mr Mckinney dropped his jaw and held his cheek with one hand, immobilized.  We then listened in disbelief and denial to the live radio broadcast.  He was buried three days later, on my birthday.

Note:  I wrote this after reading in the newspaper this morning that the Brabants Dagblad is looking for readers who will share their memories.