Ethel Kennedy Biography

In 1934, when Ethel was five years old, the family moved east, finally settling in Greenwich, Connecticut in 1936, where her father purchased a three-story, thirty one room English country manor house on Lake Avenue.

Ethel was educated at Greenwich Academy, and Convent of the Sacred Heart. In September 1945, Ethel began her education at Manhattanville College of the Sacred Heart. It was here that she was introduced to Jean Kennedy and they became fast friends and eventually roommates.

Through Jean she met Bobby Kennedy during a skiing trip, as Bobby was dating Ethel's sister, Patricia Skakel.

Ethel campaigned for JFK in 1946, and wrote her college thesis on his book 'Why England Slept'. Bobby and Ethel became engaged in February 1950 and married on 17 June, 1950. Their first child arrived shortly thereafter.

In October 1955 Ethel's parents died when their old corvair plane ran out of fuel. Her brother George also died in a plane crash in 1966, and his widow Pat died shortly thereafter, leaving several children.

Ethel was devastated after Bobby was killed in 1968, while she was expecting her eleventh child.

Ethel is the founder of the Robert F. Kennedy Memorial Centre which attempts to continue the works of Robert F. Kennedy through Human Rights Awards and Journalism Awards. She also co-chairs the Coalition of Gun Control, and is involved with other human rights organisations.