- Original name in full:
- Rose Elizabeth Fitzgerald
- Born:
- July 22, 1890, Boston, Massachusetts, U.S.
- Died:
- January 22, 1995, Hyannis Port, Massachusetts (aged 104)
- House / Dynasty:
- Kennedy family
- Notable Family Members:
- spouse Joseph P. Kennedy
- daughter Rosemary Kennedy
- daughter Eunice Kennedy Shriver
- son Robert F. Kennedy
- son John F. Kennedy
- son Ted Kennedy
Rose Kennedy
-
Who was Rose Kennedy?
Rose Kennedy (1890–1995) was the matriarch of the Kennedy family, a prominent American political dynasty. As a devout Roman Catholic, she saw her life as a mix of agonies and ecstasies. Although she never held office, she was the bedrock of a family that rose to the highest levels of power.
Rose was the daughter of John Francis ("Honey Fitz") Fitzgerald, who became mayor of Boston in 1906. She married Joseph P. Kennedy in 1914, and they had nine children, instilling in them a competitive and ambitious spirit. Three of their sons reached high political offices: John F. Kennedy, Robert F. Kennedy, and Edward Kennedy.
The family faced tragedy with the institutionalization of their daughter Rosemary, the death of their son Joseph P., Jr. in World War II, the death of their daughter Kathleen in a plane crash, and the assassinations of John and Robert. Rose Kennedy died at the age of 104.
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Which famous family did Rose Kennedy belong to?
Rose Kennedy was the matriarch of the Kennedy family, who created a political dynasty in the United States. She was the daughter of John Francis ("Honey Fitz") Fitzgerald, who was the mayor of Boston in 1906. She married Joseph P. Kennedy, who became a bank president and a multi-millionaire. Together, they had nine children, including John F. Kennedy, Robert F. Kennedy, and Edward M. (Ted) Kennedy.
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What was Rose Kennedy’s role in her family?
Rose Kennedy (1890–1995) was the matriarch of the Kennedy family, an American political dynasty. Though she held no political position herself, she was considered the anchor of the family, instilling in her nine children a competitive and ambitious spirit. Rose drew on her Roman Catholic faith to endure what she called a life of agonies and ecstasies.
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How did Rose Kennedy influence her children’s lives?
Rose Kennedy instilled a competitive and ambitious spirit in her children, which, combined with the family fortune, propelled three of her four sons to high political offices. Despite facing numerous tragedies, including the institutionalization of her daughter Rosemary and the assassinations of her sons John and Robert, Rose remained the anchor of the Kennedy family, urging her youngest son, Edward, to seek reelection after a scandal and participating in his successful campaign.
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What challenges did Rose Kennedy face during her lifetime?
Rose Kennedy, the matriarch of a prominent American political family, faced significant challenges throughout her life. Despite her privileged background and role as the anchor of a family that reached the highest echelons of power, tragedy deeply impacted her life.
Some of the challenges Kennedy faced include:
* Her daughter Rosemary was institutionalized with intellectual disabilities after a failed lobotomy.
* She lost four of her children: Joseph P. Jr. was killed in World War II, Kathleen in a plane crash, President John F. Kennedy was assassinated, and Senator Robert F. Kennedy was also assassinated.
* Her husband, Joseph P. Kennedy, suffered a stroke in 1961, leaving him debilitated until his death in 1969.2 Britannica SourcesCreated from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles. -
How is Rose Kennedy remembered in American history?
Rose Kennedy, born July 22, 1890, is remembered as the matriarch of the Kennedy family, a political dynasty in the United States. Although she held no political office, she was considered the anchor of a family that reached the highest echelons of power. Rose Kennedy drew on her Roman Catholic faith to endure what she called a life of agonies and ecstasies. She instilled a competitive and ambitious spirit in her children, which helped propel three of her four sons to high political offices. She died of pneumonia on January 22, 1995, at age 104.
3 Britannica SourcesCreated from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.
Rose Kennedy (born July 22, 1890, Boston, Massachusetts, U.S.—died January 22, 1995, Hyannis Port, Massachusetts) was an American political figure who, as the matriarch of the Kennedys, a family that created a political dynasty in the United States, drew on her Roman Catholic faith to endure what she characterized as a life of agonies and ecstasies. Though she held no political position herself, she was regarded as the anchor of a family that reached the highest echelons of power.
The daughter of John Francis ("Honey Fitz") Fitzgerald, she led a life of privilege, attending private schools in the Netherlands and in Dorchester, Massachusetts. She was propelled into public life when her father embarked on a political career and became (1906) mayor of Boston. When she was 16, she began to accompany him to public functions, taking the place of her shy mother. She met two presidents and other notable men with her father. After graduating from Dorchester High School, she attended Manhattanville College of the Sacred Heart (now Manhattanville College).
In 1914, despite her father’s objections, Rose married Joseph P. Kennedy, who became a bank president the following year and went on to become a multimillionaire through business acumen and shrewd investments. From 1915 to 1932, Rose and Joseph Kennedy had nine children. The Kennedy parents instilled in their children a competitive and ambitious spirit, which, together with the family fortune, helped propel three of their four sons to high political offices.
However, tragedy stalked the family.Their oldest daughter, Rosemary, was institutionalized for retardation from early adulthood after undergoing an unsuccessful lobotomy in 1941. Their first son, Joseph P., Jr., a fighter pilot, was killed in 1944 during World War II. In 1948 their daughter Kathleen was killed in a plane crash. Though their second eldest son, John F., was elected U.S. president in 1960, he served for almost three years before being assassinated in 1963. Another son, Robert F., served as his brother’s attorney general (1961–63) and as a senator from New York (1965–68) before he too was assassinated during his 1968 presidential campaign. The youngest son, Edward, became a U.S. senator from Massachusetts but was touched by scandal in 1969 when he admitted leaving the scene of a car accident in which a female passenger drowned. It was Rose, however, who urged him to seek reelection, and she participated in his successful campaign, after which he became one of the most respected members of the Senate.
Kennedy’s daughter Eunice married R. Sargent Shriver and became an advocate for children with intellectual and other disabilities; she founded the Special Olympics in 1968. Kennedy’s youngest daughter, Jean, founded an organization dedicated to helping intellectually disabled people engage with the arts. Daughter Patricia was best known for her marriage to actor Peter Lawford.
Kennedy’s husband suffered a debilitating stroke in 1961 and died in 1969. When Kennedy died of pneumonia at age 104, her extended family included 28 grandchildren and 41 great-grandchildren, a number of whom were active in politics.