Kennedy Clan Gathers to Say Goodbye to Joan Kennedy
The first wife of the late U.S. Senator Ted Kennedy, Joan Bennett Kennedy, passed away at 89, leaving behind a complicated legacy marked by addiction, music, and political dynasty.
Dozens of family members gathered in Boston to mourn her death at a Catholic Mass. Her grandson, Edward Kennedy III, remembered her as a grandmother, despite her public struggles with alcohol, saying:
It's no secret that she had a complicated life, you know, her troubles with alcohol. But for us she was our grandmother.
He expressed gratitude to the city of Boston for supporting her after her divorce from Ted Kennedy in 1982. The funeral service was attended by hundreds, including former U.S. Congressman Joe Kennedy III and U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who served as a pallbearer.
Author's summary: Joan Kennedy, 89, remembered for complex legacy.
- Joan Bennett Kennedy, first wife of Ted Kennedy, died at 89
- Complicated legacy marked by addiction, music, and political dynasty
- Family members, including Edward Kennedy III, Joe Kennedy III, and Robert F. Kennedy Jr., attended the funeral