Joseph and Rose Kennedy had nine children: how many of them suffered violent deaths?

It is a terrible thing for a child to pre-decease his/her parents. But this happened four times to Joseph and Rose Kennedy. Joseph Jr died in a wartime aircraft accident (1944); Kathleen died in an airplane crash (1948); John was assassinated (1963); five years later Robert was also assassinated.

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51 Comments

Tracey Lynne Mousley

5 if you count Young Rose was put through brain operations she never needed.

Michael Potthoff

Really? I am pretty sure that a plane slamming into the ground is pretty violent. Accidents can be violent.

John W Shreve

Shhhhhhhhhhh. We we're not supposed to talk about her.

Connie Judkins

I agree. Difference in types of losses-deaths makes a major difference in answer. GREATLY respected and LOVED family.

Rob Blomquist

I believe the better term for John and Bobby would be assassinated. JFK was President at the time and Bobby was quickly rising as a potential Presidential Nominee in 1968. Though I agree, all of the 4 you listed experienced violent deaths.

Kristi Stevens

It says assassinated... unless it has been updated since you saw it

teacherchicky

Some would say there was a fifth, since Rosemary suffered a lobotomy and a life of institutionalism but she didn't actually die a violent death, just a lonely one!

Lynne Zeman

Rob Blomquist, semantics. assassination is violent.

Lynne Zeman

Tracey Lynne Mousley, that violence was caused by her father.

Heidi Hollmann Gresham

Everyone forgets Kathleen

Shoy Verona Sinclair

Good one

Barbara Greer

Not heard the usage 'pre-decease' before. Managed to guess the correct answer.

Linda Blevins

To die in either a plane crash or by being shot is a violent death.

Rick Coleman

Forgot about Kathleen.

Dale Ann Uhl

I forgot about Kathleen

Purita Fleschhut

Kristi Stevens - Assasination is, for all intents and purposes not a normal death. It is a violent death. With two of their siblings died in plane crashes, therefore four them died of violent deaths.

dvdeaton

I didn't know that an airplane crash was violent; I always figured it was tragic, but not violent...

Dmitry Yakovlev

Crashes are not violence, but accidents

Calvin Taber

John F. was murdered.

anthonygriffin

During President John Kennedy's time in office. He also had his brother Bobby Kennedy, serving as Attorney General. It would be the last time that a family member would served in that position while being being part of a President's cabinet.