Ethel Kennedy, the widow of the late Robert F. Kennedy, has passed away at the age of 96. Her grandson, Joe Kennedy III, announced her death on social media, sharing that she died from complications related to a stroke she suffered the previous week. Ethel leaves behind a legacy of social justice and human rights work, as well as a large family that includes nine children, 34 grandchildren, and 24 great-grandchildren.
One of Ethel’s children is Kathleen Hartington Kennedy Townsend, born on July 4, 1951. She is the eldest of the 11 Kennedy siblings and is a former Lieutenant Governor of Maryland. Kathleen is married to David Lee Townsend and has four children: Meaghan, Maeve, Rose, and Kerry.
Joseph Patrick Kennedy II, born on September 24, 1952, is the second eldest of Ethel’s children. The 72-year-old former U.S. Representative is married to Anne Elisabeth Kelly and has children from a previous marriage. Another child, Robert Francis Kennedy Jr., born on January 17, 1954, has made headlines for his political aspirations and previous support for former President Donald Trump. He has six children from previous marriages.
Tragically, David Anthony Kennedy, born on June 15, 1955, passed away from a drug overdose at the age of 28. Mary Courtney Kennedy Hill, born on September 9, 1956, has chosen to stay out of the public eye compared to her more politically active siblings. Another child, Michael LeMoyne Kennedy, passed away in a skiing accident in 1997 at the age of 39, leaving behind three children.
Mary Kerry Kennedy, born on September 8, 1959, is a prominent lawyer and human rights activist who is the mother of three daughters. Christopher George Kennedy, born on July 4, 1963, works in business and politics and is married with four children. Matthew Maxwell Taylor, born on January 11, 1965, has assisted his uncle Ted Kennedy in politics and has three children.
Douglas Harriman Kennedy, born on March 24, 1967, has pursued a career in journalism rather than politics. The youngest of the Kennedy siblings, Rory Elizabeth Katherine Kennedy, born on December 12, 1968, is a filmmaker married to Mark Bailey with three children.
Ethel Kennedy’s passing marks the loss of a prominent figure in American history and a matriarch of a large and influential family. Her legacy lives on in her children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren, who continue to make their mark in various fields.