Joan Kennedy’s Last Public Appearance Before Her Death

The first wife of Senator Ted Kennedy — who passed away peacefully at her home — was last seen in public spending time with her family just months before her death.

Just three months before she died, Joan Kennedy made what would be her final public appearance at the annual Kennedy Fourth of July gathering. The reunion was held on Friday, July 4, at the Kennedy compound in Hyannis Port, Massachusetts.

Joan appeared in a video shared on Instagram by Kerry Kennedy. In the clip, the whole Kennedy family gathered by the water, and could be heard cheering. Joan sat in the front, wearing a bright pink top, black pants with a matching pink floral pattern, and a neon pink scarf.

Her hair was down, and she also wore large black sunglasses. "Happy birthday Chris, Kathleen and America!" Kerry captioned the post. Kathleen and Chris Kennedy celebrating their 72nd and 62nd birthdays, respectively, on the holiday.

The video resurfaced after news broke that Joan passed away on Wednesday, October 8, 2025. According to an obituary published by local outlet GoLocalProv, she died peacefully in her sleep at her Boston home. She was 89.

Joan was known as the first wife of the late Senator Ted Kennedy. The former couple was married for 24 years before their divorce in 1982. They welcomed three children together: Kara, Ted Jr., and Patrick.

Their daughter, Kara, sadly passed away in 2011. Joan is survived by her sons, Ted Jr. and Patrick, along with nine grandchildren, one great-grandchild, more than 30 nieces and nephews, and her sister, Candace McMurray.

“I will always admire my mother for the way that she faced up to her challenges with grace, courage, humility, and honesty,” Ted Jr. said of Joan. “She taught me how to be more truthful with myself and how careful listening is a more powerful communication skill than public speaking.”