Joan Bennett Kennedy, the first wife of Senator Ted Kennedy, passed away at the age of 89.
On Wednesday, October 8, GoLocalProv published an obituary announcing the news, revealing that she died peacefully in her sleep at her Boston home in the morning.
Despite being divorced from Ted, the talented classical pianist continued to be known as the long-suffering wife of the senator, to whom she was married for 22 years, her whole life.
Born in New York City on September 2, 1936, she met Ted in 1957, when his older sister Jean Kennedy introduced them. Both Jean and Joan were students at Manhattanville College.
Within the year, the two became engaged. Although both Joan and Ted expressed reservations about getting married, Ted's father, the powerful patriarch Joe Kennedy, insisted they go through with it.
They tied the knot on November 29, 1958, in Bronxville, NY, when Joan was just 22-year-old. Together, they had three children, Kara, Ted Jr and Patrick.
Joan and Ted also had to go through some challenges when it came to parenthood, as Kara, who was diagnosed with lung cancer in 2002, died from a heart attack in 2011.
Ted Jr, an attorney and former member of the Connecticut State Senate, developed bone cancer at age 12 and had part of his right leg removed. Patrick served as a Rhode Island congressman for 16 years and is a mental health advocate.
Notably, the breaking point of their marriage was in July 1969, when Ted's car went off the bridge at Chappaquiddick and killed his passenger, Mary Jo Kopechne, who was trapped in the car.
Joan attended Kopechne's funeral alongside Ted. Three days later, she was again at his side when he pleaded guilty to leaving the scene of an accident.
Following that, she suffered much humiliation, as stories of Ted's extramarital affairs and his heavy drinking made headlines.
She and Ted separated in 1978; however, they did not divorce until after his failed 1980 presidential campaign. They announced plans to divorce in 1981, and the decision was finalised in 1983. She never remarried.
