Ethel Kennedy, widow of Robert F. Kennedy, dies at 96

The human rights advocate died on Thursday morning due to complications from a stroke she suffered last week, her daughter Kerry Kennedy shared in a statement. Ethel spent her life advocating for social justice and human rights, continuing the legacy of her husband, former U.S. Attorney General Robert F. Kennedy, after his 1968 assassination. The Kennedy matriarch was most notably known for her work with the community development corporation Bedford-Stuyvesant Restoration Project, according to the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum.

Ethel spent decades traveling and standing up for human rights around the world with her signature iron will and grace, President Joe Biden said. She had a spine of steel and a heart of gold that inspired millions of Americans, he added. Ethel touched the lives of countless people with her generosity and stood as an emblem of faith and hope in the face of unimaginable grief, former President Barack Obama wrote in her memory.

She was a devout Catholic and a daily communicant who left behind nine children, 34 grandchildren, and two dozen great-grandchildren, according to her daughter’s statement. She was preceded by her husband, Robert F. Kennedy, along with two sons, a daughter-in-law, two grandchildren, and two great-grandchildren.