State Sen. Edward J. Kennedy, a Lowell Democrat whose career in public service spanned a half-century, has died, aged 74, Senate President Karen Spilka said Thursday.
A cause of death was not immediately available.
Spilka, D-Middlesex/Norfolk, shared the news with colleagues in a memo where she called Kennedy a “dear friend and colleague,” who was a “passionate advocate” for residents of his 1st Middlesex District.
“Ed was a champion for education, environmental sustainability, cultural development and, of course, his beloved hometown of Lowell,” Spilka said. “He will be deeply missed by all those fortunate enough to know him.”
Spilka said her office would “share details of the arrangements as soon as they are available. Please keep his wife, Susan, and the rest of Ed’s family in your thoughts during this difficult time.”
In a statement, U.S. Rep. Lori Trahan, D-3rd District, said she and the community “mourn[ed] the loss of a true public servant and a steadfast advocate for Lowell.”
Kennedy’s “legacy is written into the very fabric of our community – in the neighborhoods he worked tirelessly to strengthen, the cultural and educational investments he championed, and the countless people he touched with his steady commitment to public service,” Trahan continued.
Kennedy “carried Lowell with him in every role he held, never losing sight of the city that shaped him and that he, in turn, helped to shape for the better,” said Trahan, who, like Spilka, extended her condolences to Kennedy’s wife, Susan, and their children.
Gov. Maura Healey said she was “heartbroken” to learn of Kennedy’s death.
“For nearly 50 years, he has been a fixture of the Lowell government, dedicating his life to service and delivering for his community,” Healey said. It’s been an honor to partner with him on everything from housing to education. My condolences go out to his wife Susan, his family, his Senate colleagues and his constituents.”
Senate Minority Leader Bruce E. Tarr, R-1st Essex/Middlesex, said Kennedy was “a gentleman, a dedicated public servant, an unyielding champion for the people of the city of Lowell and the towns of Dracut, Dunstable, Pepperell and Tyngsborough, and a friend.”
“He was a true partner in the Senate as we worked together to lead efforts to improve the health of the Merrimack River, to prevent harm to circus animals, to strengthen our state’s tourism sector, and other shared priorities,” Tarr said.
According to his official website, Kennedy, a lifelong Lowell resident, began his political career in 1977 when he won a seat on Lowell’s City Council, then just 26 years old. He served four terms, from 1978 to 1985.
In 1989, Kennedy was elected a Middlesex County commissioner, holding the post until 1996. He returned to the City Council in 2012. He served as mayor from 2016 to 2017.
In 2018, he won election to the state Senate. His district includes the city of Lowell, as well as the towns of Dracut, Dunstable, Pepperell, and Tyngsboro.
At the time of his death, he was the Senate’s chairperson of the Legislature’s Joint Committee on Bonding, Capital Expenditures and State Assets and the vice chairperson of the Joint Committee on Higher Education.
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