She found solace in music, having once received advice from another famous bride of the clan: to “turn to the piano” when life within it became too heavy to bear.
Joan Bennett Kennedy, the first wife of the late Senator Ted Kennedy, has died peacefully in her sleep at her Boston home. She was 89. Born in 1936, she married Kennedy in 1958, becoming the youngest wife of a U.S. Senator in American history.
For years, she battled alcoholism with public honesty, admitting, “At times I drank to block out unhappiness.” After divorcing in 1983, she remained a part of the family’s orbit, supporting its charitable and musical endeavors. Life continued to test her strength when her daughter, Kara, died of a heart attack in 2011.
Joan Kennedy will be remembered as a loving mother, an accomplished pianist, and a powerful example of endurance. She is survived by her sons, grandchildren, and a great-grandchild.