Why Joan Kennedy Is Captivating America Again Today — A Look Back at Her Remarkable Journey

Boston—Joan Bennett Kennedy, the elegant socialite, author, and first wife of the late U.S. Senator Edward “Ted” Kennedy, died peacefully in her Beacon Street condominium early Wednesday, 8 October 2025, at age 89, her family confirmed to People magazine. A striking presence during the heady “Camelot” era of the 1960s, Joan Kennedy was born Virginia Joan Bennett on 2 September 1936 in Manhattan and raised on Long Island. She met the future senator while both were studying in Washington, D.C., and the couple married in 1958, just months after Ted’s brother John F. Kennedy won his first U.S. Senate race. SECTION: A public life of triumph and turmoil Throughout her 22-year marriage to the youngest Kennedy brother, Joan became a familiar figure at campaign stops and White House soirées, embodying poised grace even as personal challenges mounted. She gave birth to three children—Kara, Ted Jr., and Patrick—while enduring five pregnancies and multiple miscarriages, experiences she later chronicled in her best-selling memoir, “The Joy of Classical Music.” Her visibility soared after she stood beside Ted during his 1964 Senate reelection bid and again after the 1969 Chappaquiddick tragedy, attending Mary Jo Kopechne’s funeral despite being on medically ordered bed rest at the time. SECTION: Personal battles and divorce Behind the immaculate public façade, Mrs. Kennedy confronted a decades-long struggle with alcohol dependency. The couple separated in 1978 and finalized their divorce in 1982, an outcome the New York Times once described as the end of “America’s royal marriage.” Ted later married Victoria Reggie Kennedy, but friends say he remained devoted to Joan’s well-being, quietly financing multiple rehabilitation stays. SECTION: Advocate, author, musician An accomplished pianist trained at Manhattanville College of the Sacred Heart, Joan Kennedy leveraged her artistic background to champion music education. She co-founded the National Committee for the Performing Arts and raised millions for the Boston Symphony Orchestra. Her 1992 book, “The Joy of Classical Music,” demystified symphonic works for everyday listeners and earned a spot on the Boston Globe best-seller list. SECTION: Final years in Boston Following a debilitating fall on Cape Cod in 2005 that led to a court-appointed guardianship, Joan spent her later years largely out of public view, splitting time between Cape Cod and Boston’s Back Bay. Loved ones say she continued to practice piano daily and celebrated family milestones, including the 2023 wedding of grandson Owen Kennedy. She remained a parishioner at St. Cecilia Church, where a funeral Mass is scheduled for Monday, 13 October, at 11 a.m., according to the Providence Journal. SECTION: Legacy within the Kennedy family Joan Bennett Kennedy’s death closes a poignant chapter in America’s most storied political dynasty. While her marriage dissolved, her musical passion influenced her children—former U.S. Rep. Patrick Kennedy credits his mother for nurturing his advocacy on mental-health parity—and her resilience through very public adversity remains emblematic of the Kennedy clan’s complicated legacy. Survivors include son Ted Kennedy Jr., a former Connecticut state senator; son Patrick, founder of the Kennedy Forum; six grandchildren; and sister Candace Bennett. Daughter Kara Kennedy Allen died of a heart attack in 2011. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations to the Joan Bennett Kennedy Fund for Music Education at the Boston Symphony Orchestra.