Some Have Greatness Thrust Upon Them

Dear Readers,

I know that there are many of us who are loathe to admit a membership into a certain decade of age. But with that mantel comes the responsibility of passing on the memories of great and pivotal moments of our past. If you were (like this writer) old enough to remember the tragic and shattering events of November 22, 1963 I know you have burned into your memory the exact place you were when John Fitzgerald Kennedy was assassinated in Dallas, Texas. And with that harsh and sad memento must also come the vision of his suspected killer, Lee Harvey Oswald being gunned down by Jack Ruby two days later in the parking garage of the Dallas jail. That televsion broadcast and the following photograph in newspapers the next day is part of the lexicon that makes America's large presence in the twentieth century and all of history. When you see the photograph you can't look away. Oswald is recoiled in pain, Ruby's hand is holding a gun and firing at point blank range into his victim's stomach. And the detective handcuffed to Oswald (in a white Stetson and light gray suit) has a look of instant surprise and alarm etched on his face. Do you know that man's name?

It's J.R. Leavelle.

Detective Leavelle turned 90 two weeks ago and that is news partly because JR has been a good friend of mine for the past 30 years. It's also news because Mr. Leavelle has carried the mantel of history extremely well since that first day he was thrust into world history in November of 1963. He is a natural public speaker and interviewee. The retired Dallas homicide detective has been interviewed by every major newspaper, magazine, and television network in the world. Not a week has gone by in the past 47 years that some media entity does not contact him for a comment or opinion. He was Oliver Stone's on-set consultant for "JFK" and has been on countless morning shows and documentaries, and not once has Mr. Leavelle stumbled or been at a loss for words. When addressing a very large audience commemorating the 65th anniversary of Pearl Harbor (Yet another major part of history of which he is a veteran) JR spoke for nearly ninety minutes without a cue card or prompter. He was only supposed to speak for thirty but once he started speaking it was quite clear he had a rapt audience. History can give us heroes.

So as Detective Leavelle celebrates his 90th year it has occurred to me that even at the most tragic of times some good has been revealed. It gave us J.R. Leavelle, and we can't look away.