Joan Bennett Kennedy facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Joan Bennett Kennedy
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Kennedy in 1971
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Virginia Joan Bennett
September 2, 1936 New York City, U.S.
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| Alma mater | Manhattanville College Lesley University |
| Political party | Democratic |
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Virginia Joan Kennedy (born September 2, 1936) is an American socialite. She was the first wife of U.S. Senator Ted Kennedy, a well-known political figure.
Early Life and Education
Virginia Joan Bennett was born in New York City. She grew up in a Roman Catholic family in Bronxville, New York. Her parents were Harry Wiggin Bennett Jr. and Virginia Joan Stead. Her father worked in advertising. Joan had one younger sister, Candace.
She attended Manhattanville College in Purchase, New York. This college was also attended by her future mother-in-law, Rose Kennedy, and her future sisters-in-law, Jean Kennedy Smith and Ethel Skakel Kennedy. In 1982, Joan earned a master's degree in Education from Lesley College, now called Lesley University. When she was a teenager, she worked as a model in television commercials.
Marriage and Family Life
In October 1957, Joan met Edward "Ted" Kennedy through his sister, Jean Kennedy Smith. Ted was studying law at the University of Virginia School of Law. Joan and Ted quickly got engaged. They were married on November 29, 1958, in Bronxville, New York. Their wedding happened just a few weeks after Ted's older brother, John F. Kennedy, was re-elected as a U.S. Senator for Massachusetts.
Joan and Ted Kennedy had three children:
- Kara Kennedy (1960–2011)
- Edward M. Kennedy Jr. (Ted Jr.) (born 1961)
- Patrick J. Kennedy (born 1967)
Two of their children faced serious health challenges. Ted Jr. developed bone cancer at age 12, which led to the removal of part of his right leg in 1973. Kara was treated for lung cancer in 2003. Sadly, Kara passed away from a heart attack in 2011 at age 51.
In 1964, Ted Kennedy was in an airplane crash and suffered a severe back injury. Joan took over his campaign appearances for his successful re-election to the Senate that year. He had first won a special election in 1962 to finish his brother John's Senate term. John had become the 35th U.S. President in 1960.
In July 1969, Ted Kennedy was involved in a car accident on Chappaquiddick Island in Massachusetts, which resulted in the death of his passenger, Mary Jo Kopechne. Joan attended Kopechne's funeral. She stood by her husband during this difficult time.
Joan and Ted separated in 1978 after twenty years of marriage. They remained officially married during his 1980 U.S. presidential campaign. They later announced plans to divorce in 1981, and their divorce was finalized in 1983.
Later Life and Contributions
In 1992, Joan Kennedy published a book called The Joy of Classical Music: A Guide for You and Your Family. She has worked with charities that help children. She is also a talented pianist and has taught classical music to young people.
Joan has faced various health issues over the years. In 2004, her son, Ted Jr., was appointed her legal guardian to help manage her care. In 2005, she was hospitalized after being found lying in a Boston street near her home, suffering a concussion and a broken shoulder. That same year, she was diagnosed with breast cancer and had surgery.
After her divorce, Joan did not remarry. She attended Ted Kennedy's funeral at the Kennedy compound in Hyannis Port, Massachusetts. As of 2005, she lived in Boston, Massachusetts, and Cape Cod.
See also
