Ruth Paine, who opened her Texas home to Lee Harvey Oswald and shooed away conspiracies, dead at 92
Share this @internewscast.com

DALLAS (AP) — Ruth Paine, whose generosity towards Lee Harvey Oswald and his wife as a young mother near Dallas linked her unavoidably to the 1963 assassination of President John F. Kennedy, has passed away at the age of 92.

Paine died on Sunday in a senior living facility in Santa Rosa, California, her daughter Tamarin Laurel-Paine said Thursday.

In the fall of 1963, Oswald’s wife and children were residing at Paine’s home in the Dallas suburb of Irving. Oswald spent the night at the house prior to the assassination and collected his rifle, which he had secretly stored in the garage, before heading to his job at the Texas School Book Depository — all unbeknownst to Paine.

Laurel-Paine mentioned her admiration for her mother’s readiness over the years to give interviews and make her voice heard. “She embraced the idea that her role was to be a witness to the history she knew, and she would assist any earnest inquiries,” Laurel-Paine stated.

Thomas Mallon, author of the book “Mrs. Paine’s Garage,” said Paine “was determined to tell the truth of her experience.”

“She endured many absurd assumptions that people had, who were bent on, in some way, involving her in the events that took place, and I believe she handled this very well, always politely, exhibiting significant strength of character,” remarked Mallon.

Kennedy was assassinated on Nov. 22, 1963, with shots fired from the Texas School Book Depository building as his motorcade concluded its route. Oswald, who was employed at the building, was apprehended by the police. It was believed that he had stationed himself on the sixth floor as a sniper.

Oswald’s Russian-born wife, Marina Oswald, and her two children had been lodging with Paine, a 31-year-old mother of two, who was living amicably separated from her husband that fall.

The two women had become friends earlier that year, and the living arrangement helped the struggling Oswalds while also giving Paine a chance to improve her Russian, which she had studied.

“Ruth’s intention was to help this young couple out,” Mallon said.

Lee Harvey Oswald, who was living in a rooming house near downtown, would usually visit his family at Paine’s house on the weekends. But on the day before the assassination, he made an unexpected mid-week visit to Paine’s home, where he’d tried unsuccessfully to reconcile with his wife after a fight a few days earlier.

Oswald suggested they begin living together again, but she told him that she and the children should stay with Paine through the holidays. The next morning, Oswald left behind his wedding ring and $170. Investigators said he carried with him a brown paper package holding a disassembled rifle.

Marina Oswald told the Warren Commission, which concluded that Lee Harvey Oswald acted alone, that the rifle was among the possessions her husband had moved into Paine’s garage, storing it in a blanket there unbeknownst to Paine.

“She had no idea, Ruth, that the gun was in her garage, and no idea what was going to come,” Mallon said.

Mallon said that Paine once told him that though the assassination had had an “enormous impact on her life,” she did not let it “govern her life.” Paine “firmly believed” that Oswald had acted alone, Mallon said.

In the years after the assassination Paine became the principal of a small private Quaker school in the Philadelphia area, then got her master’s degree and worked for many years as a school psychologist in Florida before retiring and moving to California, Laurel-Paine said.

In 2013 — the 50th anniversary of the assassination — her former home in Irving opened as a museum re-creating the way it would have looked in 1963.

Share this @internewscast.com
You May Also Like
Harvard professor detained by ICE after Boston synagogue shooting, agrees to voluntarily leave US

Harvard Professor’s Shocking ICE Detention: Voluntary Departure Follows Boston Synagogue Shooting

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced on Wednesday that Immigration and…
Fox News ‘Antisemitism Exposed’ Newsletter: No red carpet for terrorists

Fox News Launches ‘Antisemitism Exposed’ Newsletter: A Firm Stance Against Terrorism

Fox News’ “Antisemitism Exposed” newsletter is your source for stories highlighting the…
Cheerleader’s cruise ship death unravels amid bitter family strife and questions at sea

Investigators’ Silence in Carnival Cruise Ship Death Possibly Linked to Family Dynamics, Legal Expert Suggests

The investigation into the tragic demise of 18-year-old Anna Kepner has reached…
Illinois church Nativity shows baby Jesus zip-tied by ICE agents

Illinois Church Sparks Controversy with Nativity Scene Depicting Baby Jesus Detained by ICE Agents

An Illinois church has stirred controversy by presenting a Nativity display where…
Florida man from Colombia sentenced in Connecticut for helping steal $4.4 million in jewelry

Colombian Florida Resident Sentenced in Connecticut for $4.4 Million Jewelry Heist

A Colombian national, Jorge Giovanni Escobar Gonzalez, who most recently resided in…
Disgraced ex-Sen Bob Menendez banned from holding any public office in New Jersey

New Jersey Slams the Door on Ex-Senator Bob Menendez: Lifetime Ban from Public Office

Former Senator Bob Menendez of New Jersey has been permanently banned from…
Comptroller Brad Lander pleads not guilty in ICE protest as he mulls run for Congress

Comptroller Brad Lander Contemplates Congressional Bid While Fighting ICE Protest Charges

On Friday, City Comptroller Brad Lander entered a plea of not guilty…
Jacksonville man sentenced to 270 years for producing, distributing child sexual abuse images

Jacksonville Resident Receives 270-Year Sentence for Child Exploitation Crimes

On August 12, 2025, a federal jury convicted Joshua Davis for creating,…
US military conducts strike on another suspected drug boat as probe into the first strike begins

US Military Launches Second Strike on Suspected Drug Vessel Amid Ongoing Investigation of Initial Operation

WASHINGTON — On Thursday, the U.S. Southern Command announced a new military…
Mercedes Wells, who gave birth in car after being discharged, meets with Franciscan Health Crown Point; father speaks out

Mercedes Wells, Who Delivered Baby in Car Post-Discharge, Engages with Franciscan Health Crown Point; Father Shares His Perspective

In a recent development, discussions took place on Thursday between an Indiana…
Live updates as 2026 FIFA World Cup draw revealed

Real-Time Coverage: Unveiling the 2026 FIFA World Cup Draw

The upcoming draw will meticulously organize 48 teams into 12 groups, each…
Denying religious freedom at Park East Synagogue

Religious Freedom Contested at Park East Synagogue

Amid rising tensions, synagogues have become the latest focal point for anti-Israel…