At a Glance
- Ethel Kennedy died Oct. 10 at age 96, six days after suffering a stroke
- She raised 11 children after husband Robert F. Kennedy’s 1968 assassination
- Nine children, 34 grandchildren and 24 great-grandchildren survive her
- Why it matters: The woman who channeled personal tragedy into five decades of human-rights work leaves a sprawling political dynasty
Ethel Kennedy, the widow of Senator Robert F. Kennedy and lifelong human-rights advocate, died Oct. 10, 2024 at age 96, her daughter Kerry announced on X. The stroke Ethel suffered days earlier proved fatal, closing a life that began in Chicago, continued through 11 children and transformed into global activism after her husband’s 1968 murder.
The 11 Children Who Carried the Torch
Kathleen, Joseph, Robert Jr., David, Courtney, Michael, Kerry, Christopher, Max, Douglas and Rory grew up under Ethel’s guidance following RFK’s assassination. Nearly all entered politics, law or public service, extending the family’s influence for another generation.
Kathleen Hartington Kennedy Townsend, 74
Born July 4, 1951, Kathleen became the first Kennedy to lose a general election when her 1986 congressional bid failed. She rebounded as Maryland’s lieutenant governor after winning the 1994 race alongside Parris Glendening. Radcliffe, the University of New Mexico Law School and two books on faith and politics filled her résumé. Tragedy struck in 2020 when daughter Maeve and grandson Gideon drowned in a canoeing accident.
Joseph Patrick Kennedy II, 73
Named after his grandfather, Joseph was born Sept. 24, 1952, in Boston. He founded the nonprofit Citizens Energy in 1979, left to serve Massachusetts’ 8th district in Congress from 1987-1999, then returned to the company. Twin sons Matt and Joe III arrived during his 1979-1991 marriage to Sheila Rauch; he later wed Anne Elizabeth Kelly in 1993.
Robert Francis Kennedy Jr., 71
Born Jan. 17, 1954, RFK Jr. earned degrees from Harvard, the London School of Economics and two law schools. A 1980 heroin arrest redirected him to environmental law at Riverkeeper. He became a prominent anti-vaccine activist, launched a 2024 presidential bid, then endorsed Donald Trump after dropping out. Marriages to Emily Black, Mary Richardson (who died by suicide in 2012) and actress Cheryl Hines produced six children.
David Anthony Kennedy
David never recovered from witnessing his father’s assassination at age 13. Born June 15, 1955, he battled heroin and alcohol addiction, dropped out of Harvard and died of an overdose on April 25, 1984.
Mary Courtney Kennedy Hill, 69
Courtney, born Sept. 9, 1956, avoided politics entirely. She married producer Robert Ruhe (1980-1990) and later Paul Hill, wrongfully imprisoned 15 years over IRA bombings. Their daughter Saoirse died of an accidental overdose in 2019.
Michael LeMoyne Kennedy
Born Feb. 27, 1958, Michael graduated from Harvard and UVA Law, married Victoria Gifford and fathered three children. A 1997 scandal involving an affair with the family’s teenage babysitter preceded his fatal skiing collision with a tree on Dec. 31, 1997.
Mary Kerry Kennedy, 66
Kerry, born Sept. 8, 1959, has led the Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights organization since 1988. Brown and Boston College Law School launched her career with Amnesty International. Awards from Save the Children and International AIDS Trust recognize her activism. She married Andrew Cuomo in 1990, had three daughters-Cara, Maria and Michaela-and divorced in 2005.
Christopher George Kennedy, 62
Sharing Kathleen’s July 4 birthday, Christopher was born in 1963. Boston College and Northwestern led to work on Uncle Ted’s 1980 presidential campaign and later chairmanship of Joseph P. Kennedy Enterprises. He married Sheila Sinclair Berner in 1987; they have four children.
Matthew Maxwell Taylor “Max” Kennedy, 61
Born Jan. 11, 1965, Max was only 3 when his father died. The Harvard and UVA Law graduate chased down a mugger on his first day as a Philadelphia prosecutor, later campaigned for Ted Kennedy (2000) and Barack Obama (2008). He and wife Victoria Strauss wed in 1991 and have three children.
Douglas Harriman Kennedy, 58
Born March 24, 1967, Douglas chose journalism over law. He joined Fox News in 1996 to host Douglas Kennedy’s American Stories. He and wife Molly Stark, married since 1998, have five children.
Rory Elizabeth Katherine Kennedy, 57
The youngest, born Dec. 12, 1968, never met her father. The acclaimed documentary filmmaker premiered work at Tribeca, Sundance and Woodstock. She postponed her 1999 wedding after cousin John F. Kennedy Jr.’s plane crash; she and filmmaker Mark Bailey have three children.
A Mother’s Legacy
Ethel channeled grief into the Robert F. Kennedy Center for Justice and Human Rights, continuing her husband’s civil-rights mission while raising children who became prosecutors, congressmen, governors, activists and filmmakers. The family statement praised “a lifetime’s work in social justice and human rights” and the sprawling clan-nine surviving children, 34 grandchildren and 24 great-grandchildren-who loved her dearly.
Key Takeaways
- Ethel Kennedy died six days after a stroke, ending 96 years that spanned Chicago childhood to global activism
- Her 11 children produced politicians, lawyers, filmmakers and activists, extending RFK’s influence for decades
- Personal tragedies-including assassinations, overdoses and accidents-marked but never stopped the family’s public service
