Presidents Joe Biden, Barack Obama, and Bill Clinton joined a distinguished group of mourners on Wednesday to honor the life of Ethel Kennedy, who passed away last week at the age of 96. The human rights activist and widow of Senator Robert “Bobby” Kennedy was remembered during a funeral service at St. Matthew’s Cathedral in Washington, D.C., the same church where President John F. Kennedy’s funeral was held in 1963.
Ethel Kennedy, a matriarch of the Kennedy family, shared 18 years of marriage and 11 children with Bobby Kennedy before his assassination in 1968. Her lifetime of advocacy and resilience in the face of personal tragedy left an indelible mark on American society.
“We saw how she picked up Bobby’s cause and stamped her own mark on the country,” said President Biden in his heartfelt eulogy. Obama and Clinton also delivered remarks, reflecting on her dedication to human rights and her role in carrying forward the Kennedy legacy.
The service drew a large audience of political figures and celebrities, including musicians Stevie Wonder and Sting, as well as former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, making her first public appearance with Biden since reportedly urging him to exit the 2024 presidential race.
Ethel Kennedy founded the Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights organization following her husband’s death, continuing his mission of social justice. Her legacy extends through her children, including Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who ran for president in 2024 as an independent before endorsing Republican Donald Trump—much to the dismay of the famously Democratic Kennedy family.
Ethel’s life was marked by tremendous loss. In addition to the assassinations of her husband and brother-in-law, President John F. Kennedy, she also endured the deaths of both her parents in a plane crash and the tragic passing of two of her sons, one from an overdose and another in a skiing accident. Despite these personal tragedies, Ethel Kennedy’s resilience and commitment to public service inspired generations of Americans.
