Ethel Kennedy – the widow of Robert F. Kennedy and the mother of Robert F. Kennedy Jr. – will be remembered with President Biden’s eulogy on Wednesday in Washington, DC. Former President Barack Obama also spoke at the service.

The human rights activist died in her sleep after suffering a stroke. She was 96.

Obama called it a “big dose in a small package” and a “hit at a young age.” Obama said she was passionate about everything from juvenile justice reform to civil rights.

“As serious as Ethel was about righting wrongs, she never seemed to take herself too seriously,” Obama said.

The matriarch of the famous Kennedy family leaves behind nine children, 34 grandchildren and many great-grandchildren. Her grandson, Joe Kennedy III, said she was a “strong woman who lived a remarkably full life.”

Members of the Kennedy family rallied for her on Monday Funeral in Cape CodMassachusetts.

Mr Biden has praised Ethel Kennedy for her resilience and determination.

“Ethel Kennedy was an American icon — a matriarch of optimism and moral courage, a symbol of resilience and service,” Mr. Biden said in a statement after her death. “Devoted to her family and country, she had a spine of steel and a heart of gold that inspired millions of Americans, including me and Jill. We were fortunate to call her a dear friend.”

Ethel Kennedy, who had eleven children, raised them after her husband was assassinated during his 1968 presidential campaign. Her son, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., ran for president as an independent in 2024 but suspended his campaign in August and endorsed former President Donald Trump.

Ethel Kennedy was born on April 11, 1928 and suffered a series of tragedies throughout her long life. In 1955, both parents died when their private plane crashed. Her son David Kennedy died of a drug overdose at the age of 28. Another son, Michael Kennedy, died in a skiing accident at the age of 39. And both her husband and her brother-in-law, President John F. Kennedy, were assassinated.

She founded the Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights Foundation in October 1968, shortly after her husband’s assassination.