Fri Oct 03 11:20:00 UTC 2025: **FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE**
**State Senator Ed Kennedy of Lowell Dies at 74**
**BOSTON, MA -** State Senator Ed Kennedy, a lifelong Lowell resident and dedicated public servant, passed away Wednesday night at the age of 74. Legislative officials confirmed his death, but did not immediately cite a cause. Kennedy had represented the First Middlesex District since 2019, capping a career in public office that spanned five decades.
Kennedy’s journey began in local government, serving as a Lowell city councilor, a Middlesex County commissioner, and mayor of Lowell. He transitioned to the State Senate in 2018, continuing his commitment to the community he loved.
University of Massachusetts president Marty Meehan, who managed Kennedy’s first city council campaign, remembered him fondly. “He loved politics and he loved government. He was a kind, gentle person…He was more the type of person to get along with people and try to work, and find resolutions to things.” Meehan added that Kennedy had recently battled pneumonia.
Senate President Karen E. Spilka called Kennedy a “valued member of the Senate and passionate advocate” in a statement to the chamber. State Representative Rodney Elliott, who knew Kennedy for decades, mourned the loss of a trusted advisor and friend. “We have a big void,” Elliott said. “It’s a sad day for the city. I’m very sad for his family.”
Governor Maura Healey has ordered flags at all state buildings to be flown at half-staff in Kennedy’s honor. “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.
US Representative Lori Trahan echoed the sentiment, stating, “He 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.”
Kennedy is survived by his wife, Susan, his children Christina and Eddie, and his grandchildren. He served as Senate chair of the committee on bonding, capital expenditures, and state assets and will be remembered for his dedication to education, environmental sustainability, and cultural development.
First Piper 