Remembering Joan B. Kennedy: A Legacy of Resilience and Advocacy

BOSTON (AP) — Joan B. Kennedy, the former wife of Sen. Edward M. Kennedy who endured a long and troubled marriage marked by family tragedies, her husband’s infidelities, and her own struggles with alcoholism and mental health, died on Wednesday. She was 89.

The former Joan Bennett was a model and classically-trained pianist when married Ted Kennedy in 1958. Their lives would change unimaginably over the next decade and a half. Brother-in-law John F. Kennedy was elected president in 1960 and assassinated three years later. Brother-in-law Robert F. Kennedy served as attorney general under JFK, was elected to the U.S. Senate in 1964, and was also tragically assassinated while seeking the presidency.

Her husband became one of the country’s most respected lawmakers despite doubts regarding his qualifications. However, Ted Kennedy faced scandals, notably the Chappaquiddick incident in 1969, when a car he was driving plunged off a bridge, claiming the life of a young woman named Mary Jo Kopechne.

Kennedy swam to safety and delayed notifying authorities, later pleading guilty to leaving the scene of an accident, a shadow that followed him throughout his career.

Joan Kennedy had three children with Ted, but also suffered miscarriages, including one shortly after the Chappaquiddick accident. While she supported her husband during his scandals, their marriage became strained, culminating in their separation during his unsuccessful presidential campaign in 1980. A campaign bumper sticker famously read “Vote for Jimmy Carter, Free Joan Kennedy.”

“Mrs. Kennedy was a classically trained pianist, an advocate for mental health and addiction recovery, and a quiet pioneer in publicly addressing challenges with alcoholism and depression at a time when few others would,” her son Patrick Kennedy and his wife Amy said in a statement.

“Her courage and candor helped break stigma and inspired others to seek help and healing. Her impact on the arts, mental health advocacy, her beloved Boston community, and the nation will be remembered by many,” he continued.