Joan Kennedy, ex-wife of Ted Kennedy, dies at 89

Joan Kennedy, the former wife of Senator Edward “Ted” Kennedy, died Wednesday at the age of 89.

Her son, Patrick Kennedy, and his wife, Amy, confirmed Joan’s death in a statement. Joan’s marriage to the Lion of the Senate was fraught with scandal and public scrutiny given her husband’s infidelity and lifestyle. She divorced from Kennedy in 1983.

“Ms. Kennedy was a classically trained pianist, an advocate for mental health and addiction treatment, and a quiet pioneer in the public fight against alcoholism and depression at a time when few others would,” Patrick and Amy Kennedy said.

“Her courage and candor helped break stigma and inspired others to seek help and heal. Her impact on the arts, mental health advocacy, her beloved Boston community and the nation will be remembered by many,” the statement added.

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Ted Kennedy and his wife Joan Kennedy, circa 1971 in New York. (Tom Wargacki/WireImage)

Joan Kennedy had three children with her husband and supported him through arguably the most serious scandal of his career, the Chappaquiddick accident. In 1969, he drove his car off a bridge on Chappaquiddick Island, killing his young passenger, Mary Jo Kopechne.

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Kennedy was able to swim to safety and waited hours before contacting police. He later pleaded guilty to charges of fleeing the scene of an accident.

Joan Kennedy smiles after an interview in Boston on December 5, 1979. (AP Photo/Dave Tenenbaum, file)

Joan’s estrangement from her husband was almost impossible to hide at the time of her unsuccessful efforts to defeat President Jimmy Carter in the 1980 Democratic primaries. They were separated by then and would divorce three years later. A campaign bumper sticker read, “Vote for Jimmy Carter, Free Joan Kennedy.”

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Joan Kennedy arrives for a film premiere at the Museum of Science in Boston on October 1, 1984. (AP Photo/Sean Kardon, file)

Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. praised his aunt on X, describing her as a courageous and humble woman who broke taboos by openly confronting her struggles with alcoholism and depression, inspiring others with her honesty, recovery and generosity.

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“My beloved aunt Joan Bennett Kennedy, former wife of the late Senator Edward M. Kennedy (D-MA), classical pianist, music teacher, and advocate for mental health and substance abuse services, died peacefully in her sleep at her home in Boston, Massachusetts, yesterday at the age of 89,” he wrote. “She was my friend, my confidante and my partner in recovery. Joan inspired me with her courage and humility.

“She was one of the first prominent women in America to publicly acknowledge her struggles with alcoholism and depression, a move she saw as essential to breaking the silence and tackling the taboo of addiction in the 1970s,” Kennedy continued. “Her honesty and candor, along with her ability to successfully recreate her life in Boston, a community that was supportive of her privacy and accepting of her recovery, made her an inspiration to countless other women facing similar challenges. She encouraged many in her family to pursue early sobriety.

“At age 25 in 1962, Joan was the youngest wife of a U.S. senator in U.S. history. She was a kind and generous aunt to me and my 27 cousins,” Kennedy added. “She was the last survivor of an extraordinary generation of Kennedys. We are all grateful for the time God gave us with her.”

The Associated Press contributed to this report.