[Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: William J. Clinton (1994, Book I)]
[May 20, 1994]
[Pages 956-957]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]



Remarks on the Death of Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis
May 20, 1994

    On this sad occasion, Hillary and I join our Nation in mourning the 
loss of Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis. Jackie Kennedy Onassis was a model 
of courage and dignity for all Americans and all the world.
    More than any other woman of her time, she captivated our Nation and 
the world with her intelligence, her elegance, and her grace. Even in 
the face of impossible tragedy, she carried the grief of her family and 
our entire Nation with a calm power that somehow reassured all the rest 
of us.
    As First Lady, Mrs. Onassis had an uncommon appreciation of the 
culture that awakened us to all the beauty of our own heritage. She 
loved art and music, poetry and books, history and architecture, and all 
matters that enrich the human spirit. She was equally passionate about 
improving the human condition. She abhorred discrimination of all kinds. 
And through small, quiet gestures, she stirred the Nation's conscience. 
She was the first First Lady to hire a mentally retarded employee here 
at the White House. And she made certain for the first time that 
minority children were all welcome in the White House nursery.
    She and President Kennedy embodied such vitality, such optimism, 
such pride in our Nation, they inspired an entire generation of young 
Americans to see the nobility of helping others and to get involved in 
public service.

[[Page 957]]

    When I became President, I was fortunate enough to get to know Mrs. 
Onassis better, and to see her and her children as friends as well as 
important American history models and good citizens. I can say that, as 
much as anything else today, I am grateful for her incredible generosity 
to Hillary and to Chelsea, the way she shared her thoughts on everything 
from how to raise children in the White House to ideas about historic 
preservation, to her favorite current books.
    We hope that Mrs. Onassis' children, John and Caroline, and her 
grandchildren find solace in the extraordinary contribution she made to 
our country. Our thoughts and prayers are with her children and 
grandchildren and her entire family as we grieve over the passing of a 
cherished friend.

Note: The President spoke at 7:39 a.m. in the Jacqueline Kennedy Garden 
at the White House.