After his death in January, Fair Play requested that anyone interested in saying something about Penn Jones do so for this issue. The ovewhelmingly positive response is as much a tribute to Mr. Jones as the comments below.

Penn was a real inspiration to many of us. I worked with him closely for 3 years putting together (for free) pasteups of his epic newsletter THE CONTINUING INQUIRY.

I will miss him much and always remember him fondly. It is sad that he did not live to see the case solved. I hope those of us who were his students achieve what he did not.

FORGIVE MY GRIEF. Penn said it first, and best.

Jack White

PENN JONES: A REMEMBRANCE

I met Penn Jones only once, back in the 1970s, but I came away with an unforgettable impression of a unique American. His small-town newspaper in Midlothian, Texas, helped to keep the ideals of Jeffersonian democracy alive, at a time when the big media seemed to have betrayed them. He had the insight and the guts to pursue important issues like the Kennedy assassination, when most big-time city editors, for whatever reason, did not. And he did so at great risk to himself and his newspaper, which in 1961 was firebombed.

One should not mention his intelligence and courage without paying tribute also to his humor, and his style. He was an inimitable individual. To pay tribute to his memory is to pay tribute also to the best of the American tradition.

Peter Dale Scott

Penn was like a father to me. For nearly thirty years I had the honor to call him friend. I was priveliged to be a part of the last positive interview he did on national television on the show "Now It Can Be Told".

Penn descends into Elm Street manhole in 1983; Robert Groden looks on

I have too many stories to tell about this pioneer among assassination researchers. Of the lectures we gave together, of the adventures to find the truth in the days before the cointelpro efforts against the true researchers. There is no room here, and now is not the time. In 1975 Penn called me a new American hero. This was and still is one of the fondest memories and honors I possess. He said, "Forgive My Grief". Penn please forgive mine. May God bless you and keep you. So many of us loved you and we will always miss you.

Robert Groden

I can't believe anyone who has studied the JFK assassination wouldn't be aware of the impact of Penn Jones on all our efforts at finding the truth in the matter. He was an icon -- an American archetype -- the crusading journalist who sat at his desk at a small town newspaper, and through the clear reasoning of his own mind, created copy that tore away at one of the world's greatest deceptions.

For those who are unaware of his profound presence, you need only scan the acknowledgements and bibliographies of any published study of the JFK murder and the name of Penn Jones and the titles of his works will undoubtedly be there.

Now, every November 22, there must be a far greater moment of silence in Dealey Plaza than the one he originated years ago. Because now we have to pay tribute in silence to a man who created the thunder in our cause.

Chuck Lakin

I was honored to be introduced to Penn Jones, Jr. at the 30 year conference in Dallas. I grew up reading and studying his work, so his huge intellect and unwavering integrity preceded my briefly meeting him. The country and the research community has lost the man whose work I consider to be the foundation on which all else rests. His immediate investigation and honest pursuit of the truth should be the yardstick by which all research is measured. God Bless him and his family.

Doug Johnson

As a journalist, I would like to say this about Penn:

Penn Jones was one of those old-style truth-seeking journalists, tempered in the fires of World War II and taking his cues from those newspaper reporters of the 1930s and 1940s. At the time of the JFK assassination and in the following months, while the national and world media hung around Police Chief Jesse Curry, Sheriff Bill Decker and DA Henry Wade waiting for the next "official" handout, Penn was out pounding the streets of Dallas digging up information and talking to witnesses. He amassed a wealth of information, some very good and some not so good, which he was kind enough to share in his "Forgive My Grief" book series and, later, his newsletters. But the point is that he was trying and, in so doing, exemplified the best journalistic tradition. Too bad there wasn't --- and aren't --- more like him!

Jim Marrs

Three complex and wonderful people taught me about how to find the truth in the JFK assassination: Sylvia Meagher, Bud Fensterwald, and Penn Jones. I counted each of them as special friends.

I remember them now, with love and admiration. Penn has joined Sylvia and Bud.

And all the others.

george michael evica

I only spoke to Penn Jones once many years ago, but I must say, he was one of the very first in this field, had the courage of his convictions and the courage to say it without mincing words.

I disagreed with some of the "mysterious deaths" list, but to Penn's credit, other names on the list have proved "legitimate." Nontheless, Penn was a true patriot who cared about the Kennedy assassination only because he cared about his country.

There are some nuggets of information in his Forgive My Grief series and the Midlothian Mirror articles which are still being mined (and often "stolen") all these years later.

He took chances when no one else did, and did it with sincere motives. We are all in his debt.

May he rest in peace.

Jan Stevens

Penn Jones was the first of the so-called "First Generation Researchers" I was ever privileged to meet personally. Appropriately, the date was 22nd November 1992 and the place was the Grassy Knoll. Penn had spoken to the assembled crowd and had called for the minute of silence. A tiny man, wearing a distinctive white baseball cap, he was then engulfed by admirers and people just wanting to say hello and maybe have a photograph taken with him.

I stood back and waited until the crowd around him had thinned a little before introducing myself. Penn seemed very happy that I had taken the time and trouble to travel across the Atlantic to visit Dallas and he treated me with respect and kindness. No, I didn't have my photograph taken with him --- but I did get his autograph!

The following year, 1993, together with Justin Bowley, a fellow British researcher, I was both proud and privileged to spend an evening with Penn and his charming wife Elaine at their home. At this time, Penn was not in particularly good health but he greeted us warmly, answered all our questions and took great pride in showing us his magnificent library of JFK-related books. He seemed to have two copies of everything --- and they were all in wonderful condition.

At the end of the evening, he presented me with a copy of his Forgive My Grief Vol. 3. He endorsed it with a few short words which still mean so much to me: "To Ian Griggs - Thanks for your Concern - Sincerely, Penn Jones Jr, 11/14/93."

I think that was the moment I realised that I was "accepted" as a genuine researcher.

We have lost another champion!

Ian Griggs

In 1983 I traveled to Dallas to take part in the 20th anniversary commemoration of the tragedy at Dealey Plaza. I spent some time with Penn Jones, and his then assistant Elaine, and I couldn't have asked for a warmer welcome. Standing on the grassy knoll listening to Penn talk to the many reporters that sought his time, I told Penn that I hadn't been able to locate any of his Forgive My Grief books. Without hesitation he asked Elaine to retrieve some copies he had in his car trunk, as he explained that he only had a few copies of the limited hardcover first volume left, but that I could have whatever was in the car. Elaine returned with all four volumes, the first being one of the scarce hardcover copies. Standing there on the knoll, only minutes before 12:30pm, Penn Jones signed the hardcover book with his trademark "Pray that I am wrong" message, and gave me the complete Forgive My Grief series.

About a month later I recieved a Christmas card in the mail from Penn and Elaine, inviting me to stop by their farm if I made it to Dallas again, promising that we'd "drink and talk all night." I was not anyone special, just an interested amateur who shared a few moments with Penn Jones --- but he treated everyone with such openess, despite the demands on his time.

America has lost a national treasure, a true hero.

Robert Petit-Clerc

Penn Jones was an indefatigable crusader for the truth of the Kennedy assassination. As editor of the Midlothian Mirror he represented the lost traditions of adversarial journalism. As editor of The Continuing Inquiry, he was among the first to attempt to unite the assassination research community through the instrument of the newsletter. His major contribution to the research will probably be recalled as the focus he brought to the Death List, that is to those unfortunates associated with the JFK, RFK, and King assassinations who met untimely demise for the most part under extraordinarily strange circumstances. Penn was a crusty, good-hearted man whose salty language and flinty demeanor were always leavened by his great sense of humor. He was known to the first generation of researchers (and the second) for his passion and generosity. We will miss him.

Christopher Sharrett

Penn Jones was a military veteran, editor of the small-town Midlothian Mirror weekly, near Dallas. He was a large figure, but you wouldn't know that to look at him--he was a feisty little guy. He went to Dallas after the assassination, and took a number of interesting photos, one of which may show Jack Ruby outside Parkland Hospital.

Challenging the conventional tide in the area, he persisted in raising questions about official theories of the assassination. No stranger to controversy and hostility (the Ku Klux Klan had once bombed his office), he collected his Mirror articles in a series of four books (volume three was reissued in expanded form, as well) called Forgive My Grief. It was Penn who began the focus on "mysterious deaths."

He assisted Jim Garrison's investigation. After the Clay Shaw trial, he was active in circulating bootleg copies of the Zapruder film at a low cost to anyone who wanted one. He made available sets of the Willis and Bond slides for researchers, along with various other items. In the 1970s, he started a research journal called The Continuing Inquiry, aided by Jack White and others. He and I corresponded and sometimes talked on the phone, and I had a great deal of admiration for him.

In August 1978, we scooped the HSCA with my first article on stereo analysis of the Zapruder film. That year, he and Robert Groden made available 20 full sets of Zapruder frame slides (133-488). Increasing costs and diminishing subscriptions in the mid-1980s caused him to give up The Continuing Inquiry.

I finally met him in person early this decade when I went to Dallas for a conference. By then, he had been through lengthy illnesses, but he hadn't lost that firm determination that every one of us could make a difference in this case--and that we owed it to our country to make the effort.

With deepest respect,
Martin Shackelford

I just got back from Dallas about an hour ago after attending the funeral of Buck Ferrell. I was honored to be there and will post more on this soon.

While visiting with the Ferrell family, Gary Shaw and I talked about Penn and his dear wife. Gary related how he went to the nursing home to see Penn and how painful it was that Penn didn't recognize him. I never met Penn so I asked him questions and he shared with me his delight in just knowing this energetic, no-holds-barred researcher.

During Buck's service, Robert Chapman, a longtime family friend and JFK researcher, told a favorite story of Buck's:

Once both Penn (let's say he was below average height) and Harold Weisberg (a big fellow) were visiting Mary and Buck, sitting at the table, telling stories, and maybe having a drink or two. Penn was Buck's favorite visitor and they had gotten very close. Suddenly, Penn and Harold got into a terrible disagreement while Mary was out of the room. Both men jumped up from their chairs and almost came to blows. Mary hurried back into the room and calmed things down, then took Buck to the side, asking why he hadn't done anything to stop them. "Mother, I was just going to let Penn get one hit," replied Buck sheepishly.

A great story. Late last night, I got a call that Penn Jones had died.

In 1996 Lancer gave a Pioneer Award to Mr. and Mrs. Penn Jones and to Mr. and Mrs. Buck Ferrell for their lifetime committments to searching for the truth in the JFK assassination. Buck left us Saturday morning and Penn on Sunday. I imagine those two are sitting together, sharing stories and perhaps having a drink or two.

God Bless them both,

Debra Conway

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