Kennedy, Rosemary (1918–2005)

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Kennedy, Rosemary (1918–2005)

American sister of John Fitzgerald Kennedy. Born Rose Marie Kennedy, Sept 13, 1918; died Jan 7, 2005, in Fort Atkinson, WI; 3rd child and eldest dau. of Joseph P. Kennedy (1888–1969, financier) and Rose Fitzgerald Kennedy (1890–1995); sister of John Fitzgerald Kennedy (US president); briefly attended public school; never married; no children.

Though healthy at birth (1918), was slow in developing and by end of 1st grade was diagnosed as mentally disabled; kept home rather than being sent away, began to display disquieting symptoms (1941), regressing in mental skills and having frequent tantrums and convulsive episodes; at suggestion of medical specialists, was lobotomized, a common procedure at the time, but was left in a childlike state by the operation; never having recovered her ability to function on her own, spent her adult life at St. Coletta School in Jefferson, WI (1949–2005).

See also Women in World History.

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Kennedy, Rosemary (1918–2005)

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