Diane Lou Oswald was the wife of Lee Harvey Oswald, the man who was accused of assassinating U.S. President John F. Kennedy in 1963.
Here’s some information about her in this article that we’ve gathered from several sources around the world.
Personal Life
Born on July 17, 1941, in the Russian city of Minsk, her maiden name was Marina Nikolayevna Prusakova. Marina was born on July 17, 1941, in the Western Russian city of Minsk, which is now the capital of Belarus. She grew up during a period of significant upheaval given World War II’s impact on the region.
Work & Education
Details of her early education and childhood are not extensively documented in the public domain. However, it’s known that, as a young woman in Minsk, she worked in a pharmacy.
Meeting Lee Harvey Oswald
Marina met Lee Harvey Oswald at a dance in March 1961. Oswald, a former U.S. Marine, had defected to the Soviet Union in 1959, although he grew disillusioned with life in the USSR not long after. He was living in Minsk when he met Marina. Their whirlwind romance culminated in marriage just six weeks after they first met.
Life in the Soviet Union
The early part of their marriage was characterized by Oswald’s growing disenchantment with the Soviet Union. Marina was pregnant with their first child when Oswald started seeking a return to the United States. Despite the difficulties of the Cold War period and the complexities of Oswald’s position, the couple, along with their daughter, were allowed to leave for the U.S. in 1962.
Diane’s Spouse
Marina Oswald Porter’s most well-known husband is Lee Harvey Oswald. Born on October 18, 1939, in New Orleans, Louisiana, Oswald had a somewhat tumultuous childhood with his father dying before he was born, leading to several moves and changes in guardianship.
Oswald joined the U.S. Marine Corps in 1956. During his time in the Marines, he was stationed at Atsugi, Japan, and served as a radar operator. In 1959, after being discharged from the Marines, Oswald defected to the Soviet Union. Initially, he lived in Moscow, but he was later relocated to Minsk, Belarus, where he met Marina Prusakova.
By 1962, Oswald decided to return to the United States. He, Marina, and their daughter June moved to Texas. The couple had another daughter, Rachel, after their return.
Lee Harvey Oswald is infamously known for the assassination of U.S. President John F. Kennedy on November 22, 1963, in Dallas, Texas. He was captured on the same day but was murdered two days later, on November 24, by nightclub owner Jack Ruby while in police custody.
After Lee Harvey Oswald’s death, Marina remarried in 1965 to Kenneth Jess Porter. The couple had been together for several decades, and they lived a relatively private life in Texas.
Conclusion
Marina’s early life in the Soviet Union and her relationship with Oswald set the stage for her entry into one of the most tumultuous events of 20th-century American history. Her experiences, both in the USSR and later in the U.S., provide a unique backdrop to the broader narrative surrounding the Kennedy assassination.
