Patricia Helen “Pat” Kennedy Lawford (May 6, 1924 – September 17, 2006)
Patricia was an American socialite and the sixth of nine children of Joseph P. Kennedy, Sr. and Rose E. Fitzgerald, sister to President John F. Kennedy, Senators Robert F. Kennedy and Ted Kennedy.
Patricia had aspirations of following in her fathers footsteps and becoming a Hollywood film producer. However, due to her gender in 1950’s Hollywood, Patricia found herself limited to working as a production assistant on various patriot and religious productions.
Patricia met British actor Peter Lawford through her sister Eunice in the 1940’s, the pair got married in New York City in 1954. The couple settled in California and became close with actress Judy Garland and her family. Judy Garland and Patricia both gave birth to sons on the same day and in the same hospital. Patricia and Peter had four children, Christopher, Sydney, Victoria and Robin.
After her divorce in 1966 Patricia went on to work with the John F. Kennedy Library and Museum, as well as with the National Center on Addiction, and was a founder of the National Committee for the Literary Arts, for which she arranged a series of author lectures and scholarships.
In 2006 Patricia died of pneumonia, aged 82.
