Joan Kennedy: Ted Kennedy's Ex-Wife Dies at 89, Details Revealed

Liputan6.com, Jakarta Joan Bennett Kennedy, the former wife of the late Senator Edward M. Kennedy, has passed away on Wednesday, October 8, 2025, at the age of 89.

She passed away peacefully at her home in Boston, Massachusetts.

The sad news was confirmed by PEOPLE and officially announced by Steve Kerrigan, a Massachusetts Democrat.

Robert F. Kennedy Jr., nephew of the late Ted Kennedy, also shared the news via social media.

Joan Kennedy is widely known as a gifted classical pianist, music teacher, and mental health advocate.

“I will always admire my mother for the way that she faced up to her challenges with grace, courage, humility, and honesty," Ted Kennedy Jr. said in a statement.

"She taught me how to be more truthful with myself and how careful listening is a more powerful communication skill than public speaking."

My beloved aunt Joan Bennett Kennedy, former wife of the late Senator Edward M. Kennedy (D-MA), classical pianist, music teacher, and advocate for mental health and addiction services, passed away peacefully in her sleep at her home in Boston, Massachusetts yesterday at the age… pic.twitter.com/a7B145a3Ay

— Robert F. Kennedy Jr (@RobertKennedyJr) October 8, 2025

My aunt, Joan Kennedy, mom to my cousins, Teddy and Patrick Kennedy, passed away this morning. Not only was she a mom, but she was a grandmother too. She was an accomplished pianist, an arts advocate, and a beautiful soul. She valiantly shared her struggle with addiction so that… pic.twitter.com/mQigdGStSb

— Maria Shriver (@mariashriver) October 8, 2025

Virginia Joan Bennett, later known as Joan Bennett Kennedy, was born on September 2, 1936, at Mother Cabrini Hospital in New York City.

She grew up in a Roman Catholic family in the suburb of Bronxville, New York, with her father, Harry Wiggin Bennett Jr., an advertising executive, and her mother, Virginia Joan Stead.

Joan attended Manhattanville College, then known as Sacred Heart College, in Purchase, New York.

Her love of music made her an outstanding classical pianist and music teacher.

She even modeled for TV commercials as a teenager.

Her dedication to education continued, as evidenced by her earning a master's degree in Education from Lesley College (now Lesley University) in 1982.

Joan met Edward "Ted" Kennedy in 1957 at Manhattanville College, thanks to an introduction from Ted's sister, Jean Kennedy.

Their relationship led to their marriage on November 29, 1958, in Bronxville, New York, when Joan was just 22 years old.

From this marriage, Joan and Ted were blessed with three children: Kara Anne Kennedy (born 1960), Edward "Ted" Moore Kennedy Jr. (born 1961), and Patrick Joseph Kennedy (born 1967).

During her time with Ted Kennedy, Joan was actively involved in her husband's political campaigns, often opening events with captivating piano performances.

Joan Kennedy publicly battled alcoholism and depression for years, becoming one of the most prominent women in the United States to share her experiences.

Her recovery journey reached a significant milestone in 2005, an achievement she attributed to her advocacy for mental health and addiction services.

In 1969, Joan also stood by her husband during the Chappaquiddick scandal, even while pregnant and suffering a miscarriage shortly afterward.

The Chappaquiddick Scandal was a car accident that happened on July 18, 1969, on Chappaquiddick Island, Massachusetts.

Ted Kennedy allegedly crashed his car into a bridge, killing Mary Jo Kopechne and problems arose when Kennedy failed to report the incident promptly, sparking a major political scandal.

In addition to her political career, Joan Kennedy was an accomplished pianist and dedicated music teacher.

She performed with renowned orchestras around the world, including the Boston Pops and the Boston Symphony Orchestra, and served on the Boston Council for the Arts and Humanities.

In 1992, she also published "The Joy of Classical Music: A Guide for You and Your Family."

Joan is often referred to as the "Last Survivor of Camelot" because of her marriage to Ted Kennedy, which tied her to the legendary Kennedy political dynasty.

She is survived by her two sons, Ted Jr. and Patrick, nine grandchildren, one great-grandchild, more than 30 nieces and nephews, and her sister, Candace McMurrey.