The legendary Kennedy family’s beloved matriarch, Ethel Kennedy, passed away at 96. The news was announced on Thursday by her grandson, former Congressman Joe Kennedy III, who shared that she died from complications related to a stroke she suffered last week.
“It is with our hearts full of love that we announce the passing of our amazing grandmother,” Kennedy wrote in a heartfelt tribute on social media. “Along with a lifetime’s work in social justice and human rights, our mother leaves behind nine children, 34 grandchildren, and 24 great-grandchildren, along with numerous nieces and nephews, all of whom love her dearly.”
Ethel Kennedy’s life was inextricably tied to the family’s legacy of public service and unwavering commitment to social justice. As the wife of the late Senator Robert F. Kennedy, she stood by his side through triumph and tragedy, only to inherit the mantle of keeping that legacy alive after his assassination in 1968.
In the following decades, Ethel emerged as a tireless advocate for her rights, founding the Robert F. Kennedy Center for Justice and Human Rights and lending her voice to causes ranging from gun control to environmental protection. By all accounts, she was the living embodiment of the Kennedy family’s enduring spirit.
“She was more Kennedy than any of the Kennedys,” said author Larry Tye. “Joe Kennedy Sr. recognized that and adored her for it.”
Indeed, Ethel’s devotion to the Kennedy name was unparalleled. She raised 11 children in the face of unimaginable grief, losing not only her husband but also several other family members, including her son David and her nephew, John F. Kennedy Jr.
Yet through it all, Ethel remained steadfast in her faith and commitment to improving the world. Former President Obama noted that she was “a dear friend with a passion for justice, an irrepressible spirit, and a great sense of humor.”
“She touched the lives of countless people worldwide with her generosity and grace and was an emblem of enduring faith and hope, even in the face of unimaginable grief,” Obama said in a tribute.
That grace and resilience were fully displayed in the final years of Ethel’s life. Despite declining, her son Robert F. Kennedy Jr. said she never lost her “sense of fun, her humor, her spark, her spunk, and her joie de vivre.”
“She wrung joy from every moment,” Kennedy wrote, “but for 56 years, she has spoken with yearning of the day she would reunite with her beloved husband.”
Ethel Kennedy has been reunited with her husband and the many loved ones she lost throughout her extraordinary life. And for those who knew her, her legacy is one of unwavering strength, unyielding compassion, and an unshakable commitment to making the world better.
“She was fearless and indefatigable, a true force of nature, guided by the teachings of her faith that call upon all of us to serve others,” former President Bill Clinton said.
In the seaside community of Hyannis Port, Massachusetts, where the Kennedys made their home, the news of Ethel’s passing has left an indelible mark. At the John F. Kennedy Hyannis Museum, a bouquet of white roses – Ethel’s favorite – was placed in the lobby, and a condolences book was opened for visitors to share their thoughts and memories.
“Over the years, the museum has been an outlet for people that want to leave their thoughts and condolences for the family,” said Wendy Northcross, the museum’s executive director.
And for those who knew Ethel personally, the loss is deeply felt. A local real estate owner, Richard Neitz, remembered her as a “leader of the pack” and an “instigator” who loved to sail, even well into her later years.
“Every time I called her Mrs. Kennedy, she told me to call her Ethel,” Neitz said. “She was always smart and witty, and she always liked to have a lot of people around.”
As the world mourns the passing of this remarkable woman, the Kennedys’ legacy —and the indelible mark that Ethel left on it—will undoubtedly live on. In the end, Ethel herself embodied the essence of what it meant to be a Kennedy: a fierce fighter for justice, an unwavering champion of the underdog, and a true beacon of hope in even the darkest of times.