But The General’s Health…

…was not very good. He had suffered a few aches and pains and illnesses during his first six decades. But they were nothing out of the ordinary for a man his age, and with the great demands made upon him.

But at 62 when Dwight Eisenhower became President, his constitution had begun to slow down.

During his first term (1953-7), he suffered a serious heart attack while he was visiting his in-laws in Denver. In the middle of the night, complaining of some gastric discomfort, the doctor was summoned. (By this time, when a President traveled, his personal physician was always included in the accompanying party.)

It did not take long for Dr. Howard Snyder to diagnose the coronary attack. But Ike was conscious, and made the decision to downplay the incident, and keep the general knowledge from the general public.  The Cold War was going full blast, and any indication that the US POTUS might not be up to snuff was a more serious concern. Vice President Nixon was quietly summoned and apprised of the situation, and indeed assumed some responsibilities – without divulging the severity of the President’s condition.

Under doctor’s orders, Ike curtailed most of his activities for a sensible recuperation period. He recovered nicely. He ran for, and was elected to, a second term.

Not long thereafter, Ike suffered a painful bout of ileitis – a gastric condition, serious enough, but not associated with his previous heart attack. Now 65, he underwent surgery, and once again, recovered.

By the time he completed his second term, he was past 70. For twenty years, he had been at the pinnacle of influence and responsibility, and subject to a grueling pace of activity.

He deserved his retirement.

The Happy Place

Ike and Mamie Eisenhower came late to home ownership. From the time they began married life in 1916, they had Army housing. Usually modest. As he rose in rank, housing was appropriate to his leadership. It was not until they were about to move into the White House (another USA-subsidized residence) that they bought their first and only home: an old farm in Gettysburg, PA, only minutes from the great battlefield. The house needed work, as did the grounds, but by 1952, Ike was not only the highest military commander, but had written a best selling memoir of his war years. Money was no longer a prime concern.

Ike and Mamie loved their home, and throughout their White House years, Mrs. Ike made numerous trips to furnish and decorate the place they would spend the rest of their days. They even had a chip-and-putt area built for Ike’s golf enjoyment. He had is own golf cart, and had special “General Ike” golf balls made by the dozens. Some for play – but mostly as souvenirs for his guests.

As POTUS, they entertained at Gettysburg whenever “informal” enjoyment was apropos. Their guests were the cream of world leadership: Sir Winston Churchill, French President Charles De Gaulle, Field Marshall Bernard Montgomery and Soviet Premier Nikita Khrushchev. They also hosted three future Presidents: Richard Nixon, Gerald Ford and Ronald Reagan. Periodically they invited staff members.

In 1961, they embarked on a retirement of relaxation and freedom from the stresses and responsibilities of decades, enjoying light suppers-for-two on tray tables while they watched television on their sun porch.

The Library

By the time Ike retired, building a Presidential Library had become an agenda item for ex-Presidents (and still is). Ike chose Abilene KS as the site, not far from the childhood home he always remembered with fondness.

And, like retired POTUSES, he was actively involved in its construction and content. He made several trips out to Abilene during the 1960s to check on the progress.

As President, he had made plans for his death and funeral during his very first days in office. Now, a decade later, he revised those plans, and arranged the special permissions necessary in order for him and Mamie to be buried on the Library grounds.

The Last, Secret Mission

But as the decade passed, Ike was visibly aging, and his health was not as robust as he might like. He also knew it. The doctors pulled no punches. His heart was failing.

One day in 1967, Dwight Eisenhower and his brother Milton charted a private plane and flew to Denver. He had told no one – not even Mamie – of his plans. He had made quiet arrangements for the coffin containing his son Doud Dwight, nicknamed Icky, to be exhumed after nearly a half century. Icky was only three and a half when he died of scarlet fever.

His death happened quickly, and the little boy was buried in the family plot belonging to his in-laws. Ike and Mamie were devastated. Even though a second son, named John was born a short time later, the memory of Icky was never from Ike’s heart and mind.

His intimates knew it was his greatest tragedy. Now, with the Library consuming his time, and his knowledge that his own death was nearing, Ike’s thoughts were to reunite his little son with his parents. For eternity.

The coffin with Icky’s remains were brought to the Eisenhower Library in Abilene, and placed in a vault to await proper burial at a time to be determined.

The Last Year

Ike’s health declined steadily during his last two years. There were several heart attacks. He was growing weaker. He voluntarily checked into Walter Reed Hospital in Washington, and spent his last year as a patient-resident. Mamie moved into a small suite down the hall, where she could visit daily.

He lived to see his former Vice President Richard Nixon elected as President in his own right. He was pleased. He was delighted, however, when his grandson David married Julie Nixon, the daughter of the new President-elect.

When Ike died and was buried at his Library, Icky’s small coffin was place beside it – waiting for Mamie’s coffin. She was interred there ten years later.

Sources:

Gellman, Irwin F. – The President and the Apprentice: Eisenhower and Nixon, 1952-1961 – Yale University Press, 2015

Gilbert, Robert E. – The Mortal Presidency: Illness and Anguish In the White House – Basic Books, 1992

Eisenhower, Susan – Mrs. Ike: Memories and Reflections on the Life of Mamie Eisenhower – Farrar, Straus and Giraux – 1996

Lester, David and Lester, Irene – Ike and Mamie – G.P. Putnam, 1981

https://millercenter.org/president/eisenhower/impact-and-legacy

https://www.gettysburgfoundation.org/eisenhower-national-historic-site

https://www.eisenhowerlibrary.gov/eisenhowers/post-presidential-years