Joan Kennedy, fully Joan Bennett Kennedy, the first wife of the late Senator Ted Kennedy, passed away early Monday morning, October 8, at the age of 89. The news brought a quiet sadness to those who remembered her grace and lifelong passion for the arts.
Known for her talent at the piano and her dedication to music education, Joan lived a life that stretched far beyond her years in the public eye. She and Ted married in 1958, long before her ex-spouse became one of the most prominent figures in American politics. Their marriage lasted until 1982, a span that saw both triumphs and heartbreak within the Kennedy family.
Though officials have not released an official cause of death, those close to the family shared that Joan passed peacefully in her sleep at her home in Boston.
A gifted musician, Bennett once performed at campaign stops for the Kennedys before pursuing her master’s degree in music education from Lesley University. Her work later connected her to orchestras across the world, as well as Boston’s thriving arts community, where the artist championed creative education for children in public schools.
She leaves behind her sons, Patrick and Ted Kennedy Jr., nine grandchildren, one great-grandchild, and her sister, Candace “Candy” McMurrey.
Joan Kennedy’s Married Life With Ted Kennedy
She was born in New York City on September 2, 1936, and raised in the suburbs in a close Roman Catholic household. Her early life was far from politics, though fate would later connect her to one of America’s most powerful families.
In 1957, while studying at Manhattanville College, Joan met Ted Kennedy through his sister Jean, who was also a student there. Ted was then in his second year of law school, and the introduction quickly turned into a romance.
Within a year, they were engaged. Both had second thoughts about marrying so soon, but the Kennedy patriarch, Joe Kennedy, pushed them to continue with the plan.
The wedding took place on November 29, 1958, at St. Joseph’s Church in Bronxville, New York, followed by a reception at the Siwanoy Country Club. Joan was 22.
Despite her warmth and grace, the musician found it difficult to adjust to the bold, outspoken Kennedy clan. “Joan was shy and a really reserved person, and the Kennedys aren’t,” author Adam Clymer once noted.
Their marriage endured family tragedies, Ted’s affairs, and Joan’s own battle with alcoholism and depression. When Ted’s car plunged off the bridge at Chappaquiddick in 1969, killing Mary Jo Kopechne, Joan stood beside him at the funeral despite the media storm that followed.
She often leaned on music to find calm, taking Jackie Kennedy’s advice to pour her emotions into the piano the way Jackie did through painting. In later interviews, Joan openly discussed her drinking, saying she sometimes used alcohol to calm her nerves or numb sadness. “Staying sober is difficult,” she told PEOPLE in 1979, “but I’m sober today, and that’s all that matters.”
By 1978, she and Ted had separated, and after his unsuccessful 1980 presidential bid, they made the split official. Their divorce was finalized in 1983, ending a 25-year marriage. Joan never remarried.
In the years that followed, her struggle with sobriety drew headlines, including several public incidents and court interventions. After a guardian was appointed in the early 2000s, she stepped away from public life and spent her later years quietly in Boston.
She Had Three Children
Joan and Ted Kennedy raised three children together — Kara, Edward Jr., and Patrick.
Kara, their eldest, was born in 1960 and grew up to become a television producer known for her warmth and work ethic. She was diagnosed with lung cancer in 2002 and, after years of recovery, passed away suddenly from a heart attack in 2011.
Edward Jr., born in 1961, faced his own health battle early on. At just 12 years old, he was diagnosed with bone cancer and underwent surgery to remove part of his right leg. He went on to build a respected career as an attorney and served in the Connecticut state Senate, where he became a strong advocate for disability rights.
Their youngest, Patrick, born in 1967, served as a U.S. Representative for Rhode Island for 16 years. Like his mother, he became a voice for mental health awareness, championing reforms and sharing his own experiences publicly.
In a tribute to his mother, Patrick Kennedy said, “Besides being a loving mother, talented musician, and instrumental partner to my father as he launched his successful political career, Mom was a powerful example to millions of people with mental health conditions. She will be missed not just by the entire Kennedy family, but by the arts community in the City of Boston and the many people whose lives she touched.”
Her Funeral Details
A public visitation for Joan Kennedy will be held on Tuesday, October 14, from 4 to 7 p.m. at Carr Funeral Home in Charlestown, Massachusetts. The address is 220 Bunker Hill Street.
Her funeral Mass is scheduled for the next day, Wednesday, October 15, at 11 a.m. inside St. Anthony Shrine on Arch Street in Boston. After the Mass, a reception will follow for those attending.
Joan Kennedy’s Net Worth
Exact details of Kennedy’s estate have not been released, though reports estimate her net worth to be around $1 million at the time of her passing.
