VIDEO | Part 3: Remembering November 22, 1963 and the assassination of John F. Kennedy

November 21, 2020 – West Bend, WI – Monday, November 22 is the 58th anniversary of the death of President John F. Kennedy.

The 35th President of the United States was assassinated in 1963 while riding in a motorcade in Dallas, Texas.

On a historical note, Kennedy campaigned in West Bend while he was seeking the Democratic nomination for President of the United States.

The Research Center at the Washington County Historical Society provided a photo of Kennedy’s visit to West Bend on February 17, 1960, when he was a U.S. Senator from Massachusetts. The picture shows Kennedy walking north on Main Street with Thomas F. O’Meara Jr. on his right.

Remembering November 22, 1963 and the assassination of John F. Kennedy

Wayne Sargent of Kewaskum was living in New Hampshire in 1963. Being only 8 years old, growing up in Bedford, NH I remember the assassination of President Kennedy like it was yesterday. The memories of having lived through the campaigning of President Kennedy were memorable in themselves. He spoke in such a way that I can never forget; maybe it was that Massachusetts accent we had in common, I’m not sure just what it was. I clearly remember to this day watching his motorcade coming down South Willow Street in Manchester, NH. The wait for his limo to approach was exciting. It was an amazing sight; he and Carolyn were sitting high up on the back seat of his black Lincoln waving the crowds lined up on both sides of the streets as far as one could see. There were campaigners walking along in front and behind the Limo passing out campaign buttons and such. The Secret Service men walked closely next to the car as they proceeded down the street to City Hall where JFK would speak. It was an unforgettable sight.

Then one afternoon in November school closed early and without reason, we were sent home. I got off the school bus and went into our house, my mother was in the living room watching tv (black and white) she was crying. “What’s wrong, why did school close”? President Kennedy was shot!!! I was stunned; I cried, as young as 8 years old I couldn’t believe what was happening. Back then, the thought of someone even thinking of killing a President was unheard of, the news of him being shot was unbelievable, shocking!  I think now that living so close to Massachusetts President Kennedy was special, our local hero. The reality and excitement of having seen a President in person brought him that much closer to us.

The days leading up to his funeral were dark and devastating, everyone was glued to the TV, there was nothing else on. There wasn’t a person around that wasn’t sadden, not with hate but with deep sorrow. The realization that the President was shot was unheard of, it was like a close friend was gone. On the day of the funeral everyone gathered around the television in silence, there wasn’t a person that didn’t cry. I remember watching the procession like it was yesterday. Probably one of the most memorable times of my young life, never to be forgotten.

Mark Hofert – West Bend – “At that time I was 11 years old and a 5th grade student at Barton School.  It was a Friday, and we were off from school that afternoon.  Most likely it was an early release day because teachers were doing report cards.  I was playing in the basement rec room with my siblings.  At some point we came upstairs and our mother was watching the news and told us what happened.  I don’t recall much more about that day. I do recall several days of news coverage.  On Sunday, the assassin, Lee Harvey Oswald was killed while being transported by the police.  Kennedy’s funeral was on Monday.  This was a different era when in came to news coverage.  Three networks, stations shut down broadcasting at night, black and white TV for most households, etc.  Certainly not an age of 24/7 cable news stations, remote broadcasting, internet coverage. Print media and photojournalism played a much larger role in disseminating the facts and absorbing the impact of an event like this, whereas Television was more of an entertainment medium.”