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    • Ethel Kennedy’s death brings back memories of Cape Cod
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    Ethel Kennedy’s death brings back memories of Cape Cod

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    A delivery of white roses arrived at the John F. Kennedy Hyannis Museum Thursday afternoon as a tribute to Kennedy family matriarch Ethel Kennedy, who died earlier in the day.

    “She was more Kennedy than any of the Kennedys. Joe Kennedy Sr. recognized that and loved her for it,” said Larry Tye, author of “Bobby Kennedy: The Making of a Liberal Icon.”

    The white roses, Ethel’s favorite according to museum director Wendy Northcross, were displayed in the museum’s lobby, along with a condolence book, in anticipation of an influx of visitors wanting to express their sorrow and share their thoughts about the fact that a of the last family members of John F. Kennedy’s Camelot have disappeared.

    “Over the years, the museum has been an outlet for people who wish to send their thoughts and condolences to the family,” said Northcross, who began receiving questions about Ethel’s well-being even before her death was announced Thursday morning.

    Kennedy, the oldest living member of one of Massachusetts’ most prominent political families, suffered a stroke last week. Her grandson, former U.S. Rep. Joe Kennedy III, announced the news Thursday in a post on X, formerly known as Twitter.

    ‘Hearts full of love’

    “It is with our hearts full of love that we announce the passing of our wonderful grandmother, Ethel Kennedy,” he wrote. “She died this morning from complications related to a stroke she suffered last week. In addition to her lifelong work in social justice and human rights, our mother is survived by nine children, 34 grandchildren and 24 great-grandchildren, along with numerous nieces and nephews. who all love her very much.”

    He continued, “She was a devout Catholic and a daily communicant, and we are comforted knowing that she has been reunited with the love of her life, our father, Robert F. Kennedy; her children David and Michael; her daughter-in-law Mary; her grandchildren Maeve and Saoirse; her great-grandchildren Gideon and Josie.

    Kennedy was 96 years old and the oldest member of the Kennedy family at the time of her death. She was born April 11, 1928. She died Thursday, October 10.

    Richard Neitz, owner of Neitz Real Estate in Yarmouth, said he encountered Ethel Kennedy many times over the years.

    “Ethel was always the leader of the pack and an instigator,” he said.

    She loved sailing in all weathers, said Neitz, a fellow sailor who went out last summer on one of the family boats, Glide.

    “Every time I called her Mrs. Kennedy, she told me to call her Ethel,” Neitz said Thursday. “She was always smart and witty, and she always enjoyed being around a lot of people.”

    Lynne Poyant, chair of the John F. Kennedy Memorial Trust Committee and trustees of the JFK Hyannis Museum, said she would occasionally see Ethel Kennedy at events.

    “She was usually at the museum supporting a speech by one of her children or a friend who was giving an author’s speech,” Poyant said. “There were often so many people vying for her attention. I think she was warm and friendly and acknowledged that people were there and they acknowledged her too.

    Poyant served as executive director of the Hyannis Area Chamber of Commerce from 1996 to 2005 when it oversaw the JFK Hyannis Museum. Poyant recalled the death of John F. Kennedy Jr. and said she was impressed by Ethel Kennedy’s calmness.

    “When you think about the tragedies she’s had in her life – losing a husband, children and grandchildren… But I read somewhere that she lives in the moment and is rooted in her faith, and I think that’s what kept her going.”

    Family ties for Ethel Kennedy

    Ethel Kennedy was married to the former Attorney General of the United States, Robert F. Kennedy. He was shot dead in 1968 during his presidential campaign. Ethel and Robert F. Kennedy were married for more than seventeen years. He died less than two weeks before their 18th wedding anniversary. She never remarried. The couple had 11 children together.

    Several of their children pursued careers in politics; their eldest child, Kathleen Kennedy Townsend, was the first female lieutenant governor of Maryland, and their son, Joseph Kennedy II, was a Massachusetts state representative.

    Most recently, Ethel Kennedy’s son Robert F. Kennedy Jr. ran for president in 2024 before dropping out of the race and endorsing former President Donald Trump in August.

    (A video that appears with this story has been updated to correct an inaccuracy.)

    Staff writer Gwenn Friss contributed to this story.

    Thank you to our subscribers who help make this coverage possible. If you are not a subscriber, please consider supporting quality local journalism with a Cape Cod Times subscription.These are our subscriptions.

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