Woman in JFK limo during shootings dies - Nellie Connally

AP on Yahoo ^ | 9/2/06 | Kelly Shannon - ap

[NormsRevenge]

AUSTIN, Texas - Nellie Connally, the last remaining survivor who was riding in President Kennedy's limousine when he was assassinated, has died, a family friend said Saturday. She was 87.

Connally, the widow of former Gov. John Connally, died in her sleep late Friday at Westminster Manor in Austin, said Julian Read, who served as the governor's press secretary in the 1960s.

"Total surprise," he said. "She has been extremely active and vital the past few days and weeks. ... It's a shock to all of us."

Connally had said the most enduring image she had of the Nov. 22, 1963, assassination in Dallas was of a mixture of blood and roses.

"It's the image of yellow roses and red roses and blood all over the car ... all over us," she said in a 2003 interview with The Associated Press. "I'll never forget it. ... It was so quick and so short, so potent."

As the limousine carrying the Connallys and the Kennedys wound its way through the friendly crowd in downtown Dallas, Nellie Connally turned to President Kennedy, who was in a seat behind her, and said, "Mr. President, you can't say Dallas doesn't love you."

Almost immediately, she heard the first of what she later concluded were three gunshots in quick succession. Connally slumped after the second shot, and, "I never looked back again. I was just trying to take care of him," she said.

Anniversaries and inevitable media interviews followed the Connallys for decades to come.

She was also an active fundraiser for many charities. In 1989, Richard Nixon, Barbara Walters and Donald Trump turned out for a gala to honor her and raise money for diabetes research.

"I've never known a woman with Nellie's courage, compassion and character," Walters said. "For all her ups and downs, I've never heard a self-pitying word from her."

The "downs" that Walters spoke of were financial difficulties.

Private business ventures after 1980 were less successful than John Connally's career as a politician and dealmaking Houston lawyer. An oil company in which he invested got into trouble, and $200 million worth of real estate projects went sour.

He filed for reorganization of his personal finances under Chapter 11 of the federal bankruptcy code and for liquidation, under Chapter 7, of the Barnes/Connally Partnership, the Austin-based real estate venture that he founded with former Lt. Gov. Ben Barnes.

The auction paid only a fraction of the $93 million in debts Connally listed with the bankruptcy court in Austin.

Nellie Connally celebrated her 80th birthday with fellow breast cancer survivors at a ceremony in the Nellie B. Connally Breast Center at Anderson hospital in Houston. It had been 10 years since overcoming breast cancer.

She served on the M.D. Anderson Board of Visitors since 1984, and a fund in her name raised millions for research and patient programs.

Survivors include her daughter, Sharon Connally Ammann, and two sons, John B. Connally III and Mark Connally.

Funeral services are pending.

[NormsRevenge]

President John F. Kennedy rides in a motorcade with his wife Jacqueline, right, Nellie Connally, left, and her husband, Gov. John Connally of Texas in Dallas, Texas., in this Nov. 22, 1963, file photo, prior to President Kennedy's assassination. Nellie Connally, the last remaining survivor who was riding in President Kennedy's limousine when he was assassinated, has died, a family friend said Saturday, Sept. 2, 2006. She was 87. Connally, the widow of former Gov. John Connally, died in her sleep late Friday or early Saturday at Westminster Manor in Austin, said Julian Read, who served as the governor's press secretary in the 1960s. (AP Photo, file)

[Kitten Festival]

Honorable lady. Rest in peace.

[ConservativeStatement]

Lady Bird will be 94 this December.

[nmh]

I am so tired of this groveling for the Kennedy's.

Surely this woman left more of a legacy behind than being in the car when Kennedy was shot! What did she do with her life? What contributions did she make? Surely there must be something that made her unique other than this nonsense.

JFK was nothing more than a an old fashioned socialists who ran around - typical Demoncrat.

[johnny7]

87... vital to the end... died in her sleep. Great way to check-out.

[IncPen]

I just read her book not too long ago, in which she 'set down for history' her personal notes and diary entries from 11/22/1963. She seemed a gracious woman, accepting her place in history. I think a lesser person might have lost their marbles during and after the events, and the ensuing scrutiny

One thing that I didn't realize was that her young son attended JFKs funeral in his parents' stead. She also recounts some (not all) of the correspondence from Jackie

Also, her husband served Nixon and organized 'Democrats for Nixon' in 1972 for those disgusted by the hippie/socialist crowd in the 60s; he seemed a fairly straight shooter.

Imagine if someone on the left tried that today-- Joe Lieberman, anyone?

[kinoxi]

I knew JFK shouldn't be headline news on the AP.

[nwrep]

typical Demoncrat.

Perhaps of the old time, not today's typical Democrat. I can't imagine a modern day DU/DailyKos Democrat being fond of Joe McCarthy and disdainful of Fidel Castro.

[Tall_Texan]

Odd to think that Mrs. Connally survived even longer than Jackie. Of course, if Nellie was 87 upon her passing, she was probably 44 years old in 1963.

[Tall_Texan]

You didn't actually READ the story, did you?

[MilspecRob]

Ah nmh

Such an interesting and insightful comment about a dead woman that (for better or worse) was part of history that you and I will never have

[nmh]

No what was highlighted was enough for me.

[kinoxi]

JFK was not a socialist, which is why you are reading this story. His death was what she based her life on. She is the typical democrat.

[nmh]

"Such an interesting and insightful comment about a dead woman that (for better or worse) was part of history that you and I will never have."

If this was the highlight of her life, I pity her.

I have no feelings of animosity or envy for this woman. I saw him getting shot on TV. That was enough for me. I don't need to "be a part of it" - as in the car.

[nmh]

JFK wasn't the socialist of today however he certainly fueled social programs. It's been an incremental approach all in the name of "compassion". FDR and Johnson were the worst in that arena.

JFK was nothing to get excited about. Sure he cut taxes to stimulate the economy but the Bay of Pigs and other incidents showed his utter incompetence. He was a drunken womanizer who thought the world of himself. If you find this impressive - so be it! I don't. I am also not impressed with this deceased woman.

[lilylangtree]

She heard 3 shots in quick succession. Yet, Oswald's so-called Mannlicher firing wouldn't be in "quick" succession and accurate at the same time. Yet, the Warren Commission didn't bother with this eyewitness nor did the '76 congressional hearings.

[opticks]

"Back...and to the left. Back...and to the left"

[kinoxi]

Yes reread my post to you, I agree.

[texas_mrs]

He filed for reorganization of his personal finances under Chapter 11 of the federal bankruptcy code and for liquidation, under Chapter 7, of the Barnes/Connally Partnership, the Austin-based real estate venture that he founded with former Lt. Gov. Ben Barnes.

Thsi is THE Ben Barnes who appeared with Dan Rather on 60 minutes with his lies about Bush. And this would not be the only person who suffered financially for his Barnes connection. There are quite a few.