Joan Kennedy, Sen. Edward Kennedy’s ex-wife, dies at 89

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File – Joan Kennedy and husband Ted Kennedy circa 1971 in New York Metropolis. (Picture by Tom Wargacki/WireImage)

Joan Kennedy, the primary spouse of the late Senator Edward Kennedy, died Wednesday on the age of 89.

What they are saying:

Her household introduced her dying in a press release to the Related Press, and a local obituary From Her Residence in Boston was additionally revealed Wednesday.

“Mrs. Kennedy was a classically educated pianist, an advocate for psychological well being and dependancy restoration, and a quiet pioneer in publicly tackling challenges with alcoholism and despair at a time when few others would,” her son Patrick Kennedy and his spouse Amy stated in a press release.

“Her braveness and candor helped break stigma and impressed others to hunt assist and heal. Her affect on the humanities, psychological well being advocacy, her beloved Boston neighborhood and the nation might be remembered by many,” he stated.

Marriage to Edward Kennedy

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Joan married Edward Kennedy in 1958. That they had three kids collectively and a wedding marked by household feuds, infidelity and struggles with alcoholism and psychological well being earlier than their divorce in 1982.

Dive deeper:

She endured the murders of two brothers-in-law and stood by her husband by the Chappaquiddick scandal and his failed 1980 run for president.

Chappaquiddick scandal

The backstory:

In 1969, the automobile drove Edward Kennedy off a bridge on Chappaquiddick Island, killing his younger feminine passenger, Mary Jo Kopechne.

Kennedy, who swam to security and waited hours earlier than alerting police, later pleaded responsible to leaving the scene of an accident. Chappaquiddick shadowed him for the remainder of his life and weighed in opposition to his personal probabilities for the presidency.

Dive deeper:

She stood by her husband by the scandal, however their estrangement was almost unattainable to hide by the point of his failed try to defeat President Jimmy Carter within the 1980 Democratic primaries. They had been separated by then and would later divorce. A bumper sticker from the marketing campaign learn “Vote for Jimmy Carter, Free Joan Kennedy.”

Classically educated pianist

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Her love of piano can be a trademark for a lot of her life

“Enjoying the piano instantly grew to become her trademark whereas campaigning with the Kennedys, the place she would typically open political rallies and heat up the crowds together with her piano serenades,” her obituary reads.

She additionally carried out repeatedly with orchestras around the globe and wrote a best-selling ebook, “The Pleasure of Classical Music,” in efforts to make classical music extra accessible to all listeners.

Psychological well being advocate

She was identified to have struggled with psychological well being points and alcoholism for a lot of her life, together with a number of drunk driving arrests.

However was one of many first to brazenly advocate for dependancy restoration and encourage others to hunt assist.

“Mrs. Kennedy grew to become one of many first outstanding ladies in America to publicly acknowledge her struggles with alcoholism and despair, a transfer she stated was important to breaking the silence and tackling the taboo of dependancy within the Seventies,” her obituary reads.

What they are saying:

“I’ll at all times admire my mom for the way in which she confronted her challenges with grace, braveness, humility and honesty,” stated Ted Kennedy Jr. in her obituary. “She taught me the way to be extra truthful with myself and the way cautious listening is a extra highly effective communication talent than public talking.”

Joan Kennedy is survived by two kids, Ted Kennedy, Jr., and former Congressman Patrick J. Kennedy (D-RI), 9 grandchildren, and one great-grandchild.