Letter to Mike and Louisa Kennedy from Betsy Riley, March 24, 1981
Dear Moorehead [sic] (Called Mike ) and Louisa,
This expressed my thoughts.
My admiration for you is Brobdingnagian.
(I should have said HUGE!)
I was 2nd in line March 15. I wanted to
say lots of good things, but there were too many
waiting behind me. I love the
Livingstons home at Clerment, but
most I love the love the valor of you two.
Please know this if for you to read. I
sent a copy to the NYer.
13 Richlee Court
Mineola, New York
March 04, 1981
The Talk of the Town
The New Yorker
25 West 43 Street
Dear "Mr. or MS. Talk:"
I'm always giving support to people who
don't need it, but then again the people who
do great things are the ones who deserve the praise
so here goes ......
I want to thank you for your marvelous re-
port on the Moorehead [sic] Kennedy family on your
anniversary issue. It took me to the skies, (those
are words from a popular song by Peggy Lee in the
1940s so you know my age).
I was thrilled....charmed....inspired by your
article and the family itself.
So much so that I took a cab from Mineola,
the cost $75, including tip and worth every cent.
I could have driven, but I was afraid I might be
overcome by what Moorehad [sic] Kennedy would say. As
it was, I was totally impressed and pleased, as
he did not go into any "gore" and said the most
beautiful things, such as, "Each inspired one of us has
his own Easter," and other inspired thoughts.
His wife, Louisa, said a lovely thing first too.
She said, "You all have suffered too. Ours just
P.2
happened to have international consequence."
I thought that was a most gracious thing to say.
I want to thank you for writing that article.
It enabled me to see and hear two outstanding peo-
ple and to shake hands with Secretary General
Waldheim. I almost became overcome. I'd heard
the pastor, Bishop, say he'd be there, but I'd
gotten so swept away by Moorehead [sic] Kennedy and
his wife, Louisa, that I'd forgotten he'd said
that K. W. would be there.
I hope you were there too.
I read that Kissenger [sic] said, "You never will
get the exact same set of circumstances as there
are at any particular minute. " That's why I
wanted to go that Sunday, March 15. It was one
of the most marvelous moments of my life. I
would not have had the experience were it not
for you.
While I'm at it, I also want to praise you
for your John Lennon writings. I hope you will
follow up on it in some way and not let it all
dwindle away. Good can come from it all, just as
it did with the hostages.
I wrote on small paper to limit myself as
I could write pages on that morning at St. John's.
I used to live right near there as my father
taught at Columbia.
Happy days to you,
Betsy Riley