Joan Bennett Kennedy has sadly passed away at the age of 89. The pianist, music teacher, and mental health advocate was best known for her marriage to Senator Ted Kennedy.
Joan married the youngest of the three Kennedy brothers in 1983. They had three children together before divorcing in 1983 after 22 years. While Joan chose not to remarry following their divorce, Ted did marry again. He passed away in 2009, at the age of 77.
After divorcing Ted Kennedy in 1983, Joan Kennedy favored a quiet life…
On Wednesday, 8th October, GoLocalProv published an obituary with details of Joan’s passing. The post confirmed she had “passed away peacefully in her sleep at her home.”
Joan dedicated her life to speaking on the taboo of addiction. Joan’s obituary described her as being “one of the first prominent women in America to publicly acknowledge her struggles with alcoholism and depression.” This, the post said, was a “move that she felt was essential to breaking the silence.”
At the height of her fame, Joan spoke out about her alcohol addiction. In a 1978 PEOPLE magazine interview, she admitted to using alcohol to “block out unhappiness”. Joan later joined Alcoholics Anonymous and, in 1979, told PEOPLE she was sober. “That’s all that matters,” she said. “I’m working on my recovery a day at a time.”
Following her divorce from Ted, Joan opted to live a quiet life. In 1982, she moved from Washington to Boston to escape the media spotlight. Joan went on to pursue a Master’s Degree in Musical Education, perform in orchestras across the world, and publish a book.
Speaking about his mother’s death, Ted Kennedy, Jr, said: “I will always admire my mother for the way that she faced up to her challenges with grace, courage, humility, and honesty.”
He went on, “She taught me how to be more truthful with myself and how careful listening is a more powerful communication skill than public speaking.”
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