Matthew T. Mangino: The passing of the Matriarch of the families of fallen officers
By Matthew T. Mangino
One of the few living people with a direct connection to the tragic assassination of President John F. Kennedy has died. Marie Tippit, the widow of Dallas Police Officer J.D. Tippit, who was shot to death by Lee Harvey Oswald 45 minutes after Kennedy was assassinated, died on March 5.
On the morning of Nov. 22, 1963, Tippit made breakfast for her husband. J.D. Tippit would leave early in the morning to begin his shift as a Dallas patrolman. He patrolled the Oak Cliff neighborhood of Dallas. Nov. 22 was a hectic day in Dallas. President Kennedy and his wife, Jacqueline, were visiting along with Texas native Vice President Lyndon Johnson and his wife, Lady Bird.
three children without him, it seems almost impossible. reporter: as the media storm began to swirl around her, marie tippet found her thoughts going to the one person who could truly understand her ordeal, jacqueline kennedy. certainly sympathize with her. reporter: the two young widows saw their husbands laid to rest on the same day and somehow in the midst of her grief, first lady found time to write a condolence letter to marie tippet, this never before seen letter was as direct as it was unexpected. dear mrs. tippet, what can i say to you? my husband s death is responsible for you losing your husband. wasn t one life enough to take on that day? i lit a flame for jack at arlington that will burn forever. i consider that it burns for your husband too and so will everyone who ever sees it. with my unexpressible sympathy,
in fact, with three children, without him it seemed almost impossible. reporter: as the media storm began to swirl around her, marie tippet found her thoughts going to the one person who could truly understand her ordeal, jacqueline kennedy. i can sympathize with her. reporter: the two young widows had their husbands laid to rest on the same day and somehow in the midst of her grief the first lady found time to write a condolence letter to marie phipppet. this never before seen letter was as direct as expected. dear mrs. tippet, what can i say to you? my husband s death is responsible for you losing your husband. wasn t one life enough to take on that day? i lit a flame for jack at arlington that will burn forever. i consider it burns for your husband, too. and so will everyone whoever sees it with my unexpressible
suspect who shot the president. they called him and told him a description of the person that he was looking for. re. reporter: a few miles from where marie was waiting for him, officer tippet crossed paths with lee harvey oswald. police officer is shot. he was driving car number 10. i think he s dead. reporter: oswald fired three shots, two to the body one to the head. your life crashed around you at that point? i couldn t believe it. it was just unreal. reporter: we begin this national period of mourning the president and yet in a very personal way, you have to deal with your own grief. was that hard? oh, was it ever? yes. he was the other part of me that was just missing.
streets looking for the suspect who shot the president. they told him the description of the person they were looking for. reporter: at the corner of 10th and patton a few miles from where marie was waiting with him. officer tippin crossed fire with lee harvey oswald. he was driving car number 10. i think he s dead. oswald fired four shots, three to the body, one to the head. tippet never had a chance. your life crashed around you at that point? everything. i just couldn t believe it. it was just unreal. we begin this natural period of mourning the president and yet in a very personal way, you have to deal with your own grief. was that hard? oh, was it ever, yes. we have grown so hard together that he was the other part of me that was just missing.