Lynda and I would like to
express publicly our deep
appreciation to the many
members of the University
community for their
expressions of sympathy and
condolence following the
announcement of Mr.
Johnson's death last Monday
evening. We hope to respond in
a more personal way to as
many individuals as we can
identify during the next few
weeks, but at this point we
haven't even been able to open
all of the letters and telegrams
which were sent during the
first 48 hours.
It was especially heartening
to see fellow University
students at both the Capitol,
Rotunda, and the church
services in Washington, and to
find cards signed simply "Your
Friends at the University of
Virginia" and "From Your
Friends at the U.Va. Law
School" attached to the
various floral arrangements in
Texas.
Mr. Johnson shared much of
our enthusiasm for the
University and I know he was
looking forward to delivering
the commencement address in
June. He was very impressed
by the many thoughtful
get-well messages he received
from members of the
University community
following his heart attack here
last April, and on a previous
visit he had thoroughly
enjoyed a walking tour of the
Grounds just after dusk.
We didn't discuss the
specific topic for his
commencement address during
our lengthy visit over the
Christmas holidays, but I knew
some of the heady ideas his
most recent dreams were made
of. It wasn't until two days
after his death that his chief
speech writer told me he was
planning to deliver "the
greatest speech of his life."
Sincerely,
