Roosevelt’s Death
He was still suffering from fever and vertigo from an inflammation of his inner ear. He only allowed Edith to walk with him as he left the hospital.
Alice, Ethel, Archie and Grace welcomed him home. He enjoyed Christmas morning, but soon tired and in the afternoon, he had to rest.
Each day that followed he had breakfast in bed. He came downstairs for lunch then stayed on the library sofa reading and dictating letters.
On New Years Eve the rainy weather brought back severe pain in his leg and left hand. He spent most of the time in the nursery the warmest room in the house lying on the sofa reading and dictating letters.
On Saturday January 4, 1919 his White House valet James Amos arrived at Sagamore Hill. Amos said, “his face bore a tired expression. There was a look of weariness in his eyes. It was perfectly plain that he had suffered deeply.” In the evenings Amos would turn his chair in the nursery so he could look out toward Center Island where he had played when his family first started coming to Oyster Bay.
Sunday January 5th Flora Whitney paid TR a visit. At around 10pm TR was still on the nursery sofa when he asked Edith to help him sit up. He said he felt as if his heart or breathing were about to stop. He said he knew it was not going to happen, but it was a strange feeling.
Edith called the nurse who said his pulse was good. Edith sent for a local doctor who confirmed his pulse and heart rate were good. The nurse gave him a shot of morphine to help him sleep through the night.
The weather service was predicting a nor'easter was on its way up the coast toward Long Island. At around 11:00 he asked James to lift him into the bed. His last words were: “James will you please put out the light.” James then spent the rest of the evening into morning watching over Roosevelt.
At 12:30 Edith came in to check on TR and again at 2:00am. He was lying on his side comfortably asleep. At 4:00am James Amos noticed TR’s breathing had become erratic and labored. He went to the nurse who woke Edith. By the time she got to his bedside he had passed. Edith called, “Theodore darling,” but there was no response. TR had joined those who he had often said were "called to go out into the darkness."
It was January 6th the Feast of the Epiphany. On his bed stand was a scribbled note to remind Will Hays the Republican National Committee Chairman he was going to be in Washington for 10 days to see the Senate and the House.
At 6:00am Edith called Corrine and broke the news. By late afternoon Corrine was at Sagamore Hill. The two had known each other for 54 years. That afternoon they walked to the beach and on their way back they saw planes from Hazelhurst Field flying overhead in an aerial honor guard dropping Laurel Wreaths down on the property.
Edith wrote Ted Jr., “Father spent his last evening in our old nursery and loved the view of when he spoke and as it got dark he watched dancing flames and spoke of the happiness of being home and made little plans for me.”
TR’s plain oak coffin lay in state in the North Room draped in Rough Rifer flags. The funeral took place Wednesday morning January 8th.
Edith following the custom of the day stayed at home and read correspondence from family and friends while some 500 attended the ceremony in Christ Episcopal Church in Oyster Bay. There was no music and no eulogy.
The burial took place at Young’s Cemetery. William Taft was the last to leave, tears in his eyes.
Two days later Edith drove to Connecticut to visit Bamie at her house Old Gate. She didn’t stay long. Seeing Bamie in a wheelchair disabled by rheumatism reminded her of TR’s last days battling the same condition.
Edith booked passage to Europe to visit Quentin’s grave. In Germany no one could understand while the former president’s sons were at the front all the Kaiser’s 6 sons were safe at home. November 9th Kaiser Wilhelm abdicated and fled to Holland.
Edith placed a fountain at the site where Quentin was buried and then traveled to Italy to see her sister Emily who the family had nicknamed the Mediterranean menace.
Death Bed