York-area woodcarver made life-size JFK statue. But where is it now?
Walter S. Langhine of Weigelstown, Pa., spent four months carving a wooden statue of John F. Kennedy in 1964. Jacqueline Kennedy’s staff supplied him with JFK’s dimensions. Background posts: JFK’s visit to York a long-remembered event, Bob Yost: ‘King of real estate in York County’ and 20 questions and answers to prove your York County smarts, Part II
York countian Walter S. Langhine sought to memoralize slain U.S. president John F. Kennedy.
He planned to do this in the way he knew best.
The employee of Red Lion’s Bethlehem Furniture Co. was a professional woodcarver. His off-work specialties included cigar store Indians and and full-size horses.
Now, in the year after the chief executive’s death in 1963, Langhine would make an image of the late president out of wood… .
First, he needed JFK’s measurements.
Upon his request, First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy’s staff complied: JFK was 6-feet tall, weighed 172 pounds and wore a 9 1/2-size shoe.
Four months later, he had created the statue.
Now comes the mystery.
A York Sunday News article, telling Langhine’s story, suggests that the woodcarver was offering it to raise funds for the Kennedy Memorial School for Retarded Children.
Perhaps it eventually could take permanent residency in Martin Library, Langhine said.
But the York County Heritage Trust file, where the Sunday News information was found, does not tell where the JFK statue ended up.
Where is Langhine’s wooden work today?
Does anyone know?
For scores of posts on presidential links to York County, see this blog’s presidential stops.
