Wife of Late Sen. Robert F. Kennedy Remembered for Her Dedication to Family and Social Causes
CENTERVILLE, Massachusetts. Members of the Kennedy family came together on Monday, October 14, for the private funeral of Ethel Kennedy, widow of the late Sen. Robert F. Kennedy, at Our Lady of Victory Church in Centerville, Massachusetts. The service, held under gray skies, marked the end of an era for the iconic family, with the passing of Ethel at age 96 due to complications from a stroke.
Ethel Kennedy, who raised 11 children after her husband’s assassination in 1968, was a dedicated advocate for social justice and human rights throughout her life. The Kennedy family released a heartfelt statement following her death, saying, “Along with a lifetime’s work in social justice and human rights, our mother leaves behind nine children, 34 grandchildren, and 24 great-great-grandchildren, along with numerous nieces and nephews, all of whom love her dearly.”
President Joe Biden honored her memory, calling Ethel “an American icon — a matriarch of optimism and moral courage, an emblem of resilience and service.”
Born into wealth, Ethel married Robert F. Kennedy in 1950, and together they became a political power couple. However, her life was marked by tragedy. She witnessed her husband’s assassination in 1968 at the Ambassador Hotel in Los Angeles, just after he had secured the California Democratic presidential primary. Her brother-in-law, President John F. Kennedy, had been assassinated less than five years earlier.
Despite the loss, Ethel Kennedy continued to champion her husband’s causes, founding the Robert F. Kennedy Center for Justice and Human Rights and dedicating her life to advocacy work, including efforts in gun control and human rights. Known for her strength and grace, she remained an integral part of the Kennedy legacy.
The funeral was closed to the public, but those closest to the family gathered to pay their final respects, remembering her enduring legacy of compassion, justice, and commitment to the Kennedy family’s public service mission.
Paraluman P. Funtanilla
Paraluman P. Funtanilla is Tutubi News Magazine's Marketing Specialist and is a Contributing Editor. She finished her degree in Communication Arts in De La Salle Lipa. She has worked as a Digital Marketer for start-up businesses and small business spaces for the past two years. She has earned certificates from Coursera on Brand Management: Aligning Business Brand and Behavior and Viral Marketing and How to Craft Contagious Content. She also worked with Asia Express Romania TV Show.
