Joan B. Kennedy, the former wife of Sen. Edward M. Kennedy, has died at 89. Her life was a poignant narrative of family tragedies, public scandals, and private struggles with alcoholism and mental health, all while navigating the intense spotlight of the Kennedy family.
Joan B. Kennedy, the former wife of Sen. Edward M. Kennedy and one of the last remaining members of a prominent Kennedy family generation, passed away at 89. A classically-trained pianist and model, she married Ted Kennedy in 1958, embarking on a life that would soon be defined by unimaginable tragedy and public scrutiny. Within a decade and a half, she witnessed the assassinations of her brothers-in-law, President John F. Kennedy and Sen. Robert F. Kennedy. Her marriage was further strained by her husband's infidelities and the infamous 1969 Chappaquiddick incident, where a car driven by Ted Kennedy plunged off a bridge, killing passenger Mary Jo Kopechne. Despite standing by him through the scandal, their estrangement grew, leading to separation and eventually divorce before his unsuccessful 1980 presidential primary bid. Throughout these public trials, Joan Kennedy bravely battled her own private demons, including decades-long struggles with alcoholism and mental health. Born Virginia Joan Bennett into a prominent Bronxville, N.Y., family, her life was a testament to enduring immense pressure and personal hardship within one of America's most iconic and often tragic families.
