It was at this time, the end of 1946 and into early 1947 that Durie dated John F. Kennedy a few times. She had already known the Kennedy family on Palm Beach for years. In the January 20, 1947 issue of the New York World-Telegram newspaper the following was written:
"Jack (John F.) Kennedy, who won the Navy's highest award for heroism by swimming through a sea of flame to rescue two of his PT boat crew, has just been voted another outstanding decoration. Palm Beach's cottage colony wants to give [him] its annual Oscar for achievement in the field of romance . . . giving Durie Malcolm Desloge the season's outstanding rush. The two were inseparable at all social functions and sports events. They even drove down to Miami to hold hands at football games and wager on the horses. Durie is the daughter of the George H. Malcolms of Palm Beach and Chicago. She is beautiful and intelligent. Tiny obstacle to orange blossoms is that the Kennedy clan frowns upon divorce."