Eunice Kennedy Shriver Birthday & Fun Facts | Kidadl

Eunice Kennedy Shriver Birthday & Fun Facts

Height, Age, Net Worth, Biography & More

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Eunice Kennedy Shriver Birthday Highlights

Birth Name
Place Of Birth
Brookline, USA
Age
102 years old
Birth Date
July 9 1921

Eunice Kennedy Shriver Facts

Child Star?
no
Occupation
Philanthropist
Education & Qualifications
Manhattanville College
Net Worth
$20,000,000
Current Partner
Robert Sargent Shriver Jr
Children
Maria Shriver, Timothy Shriver, Mark Kennedy Shriver, Anthony Shriver, Bobby Shriver
Parents
Joseph P. Kennedy Sr., Rose Fitzgerald Kennedy
Siblings
Rosemary Kennedy, Joseph P. Kennedy Shriver Jr., Jean Kennedy Smith, Patricia Kennedy Lawford, John F. Kennedy, Ted Kennedy, Robert F Kennedy, Kathleen Cavendish

About Eunice Kennedy Shriver

Eunice Kennedy was an American philanthropist born on July 10, 1921, in Brookline, Massachusetts, United States.

Eunice Kennedy Shriver was known for her work with intellectually impaired individuals and for founding the first-ever 'Special Olympics,' an athletic and sports event for persons with special needs. She established Camp Shriver on her Maryland farm known as Timberlawn in 1962, which grew into the Special Olympics in 1968.

Eunice Kennedy Shriver moved to Chicago in 1951 for her philanthropic projects through the Joseph P. Kennedy Jr. Foundation for the Benefit of Persons with Intellectual Disabilities. Scroll down to read more interesting facts about Eunice Kennedy Shriver.

Eunice Kennedy Shriver's Net Worth, Earnings & Spending Habits

What was Eunice Kennedy Shriver's net worth?

As per the data for 2021, Eunice Kennedy Shriver had an estimated net worth of about $20 million. She had established this much revenue from her primary profession as a philanthropist.

How much did Eunice Kennedy Shriver earn per year?

The annual earnings of Eunice Kennedy Shriver were about $400,000 when she was alive.

Height, Age & Physical Attributes

How tall was Eunice Kennedy Shriver?

The actual height of Eunice Kennedy Shriver is not known.

How old was Eunice Kennedy Shriver?

Eunice Kennedy Shriver was born on July 10, 1921, and died at the age of 88 on August 11, 2009.

Childhood And Education

Eunice Kennedy Shriver was born and raised in Brookline, Massachusetts, in the United States. She was born to Joseph P. Kennedy Sr., who was a well-known politician and a businessman, and Rose Kennedy, who was a socialite. She had eight siblings, among whom four are brothers named John F. Kennedy, Ted Kennedy, Robert F Kennedy, and Joseph P Kennedy Jr. The names of her four sisters are Patricia Kennedy Lawford, Jean Kennedy Smith, Rosemary Kennedy, and Kathleen Cavendish. She had five children, namely Timothy Shriver, Bobby Shriver, Maria Shriver, Mark Shriver, and Anthony Shriver.

Eunice went to the Convent of the Sacred Heart in Roehampton, London, and later went to Manhattanville College located in Upper Manhattan for her studies. After that, she attended Stanford University in 1943, from where she earned a Bachelor's Degree in sociology.

Family, Romance, And Relationships

Who was Eunice Kennedy Shriver's partner?

Eunice got married to Sargent Shriver on May 23, 1953, in a Roman Catholic marriage at Saint Patrick's Cathedral in New York City. The couple had five children named Robert Sargent Shriver III, Maria Owings Shriver, Mark Kennedy Shriver, Timothy Perry Shriver, and Anthony Paul Kennedy Shriver. They had 19 grandchildren.

Career And Professional Highlights

Best Known For…

She is best known for her work with intellectually impaired individuals and for founding the first-ever 'Special Olympics,' an athletic and sports event for persons with special needs.

Shriver worked for the Special War Problems Division of the 'US State Department.' She was appointed as an executive secretary for the 'US Justice Department.'

Eunice Kennedy Shriver was appointed executive vice president of the 'Joseph P. Kennedy, Jr. Foundation' in 1957.

The organization was named after her oldest brother, Joseph Jr., a World War II martyr, founded in 1946 by ambassador Joseph P. Kennedy Sr.

She founded the 'President's Panel on Mental Retardation' in 1961, which played an important role in guaranteeing community integration in the United States and worldwide.

Charity Work

Eunice had done numerous charity works in her life. She always supported mentally ill children and also worked to improve their lives. She started the 'Special Olympics' for persons with special needs.

She moved to Chicago in 1951 and worked with the 'Federal Industrial Institution for Women,' 'House of the Good Shepherd' women's shelter, and the 'Chicago Juveline Court.'

She also founded the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD), a body of the National Institutes of Health.

In addition, she also supported setting up new University programs, healthcare facilities, government initiatives, and many other services that aimed to help mentally ill persons.

Shriver also worked with several Paris-based organizations in France to help intellectually disabled people in 1969.

Shriver founded the 'Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Center for Community Caring' in Salt Lake City in 1982.

Shriver also backed the anti-abortion movement and various pro-life organizations, including 'Feminists for Life of America,' the 'Susan B. Anthony List,' and 'Democrats for Life of America.'

What awards did Eunice Kennedy Shriver win?

Did you know? Eunice Kennedy Shriver earned numerous awards during her life. She was a lady with a kind and pure heart who always served people's welfare and received various honorary degrees and awards.

In 1984, she earned the 'Presidential Medal of Freedom,' the highest civilian award. This was given to her for her immense contribution to helping people with disabilities.

In 1990, the 'United States Sports Academy' gave her the 'Eagle Award,' the academy's highest international accolade. This was given to her for all the amazing contributions she made to the sector of international sports.

The 'Jefferson Awards' presented Shriver with the 'Senator John Heinz Award for Greatest Public Service Benefiting the Disadvantaged' in 1992. She was awarded the 'Civitan International World Citizenship Award' for creating the 'Special Olympics.'

She became the country's second and only woman to be honored on currency coins in 1995. In 1998, she was inducted into the 'National Women's Hall of Fame.'

The 'National Collegiate Athletic Association' (NCAA) awarded her the 'Theodore Roosevelt Award' in 2002.

She also received the title of the 'Dame of the Order of St. Gregory the Great' (DSG). In 2008, she earned the 'Foremother Award' from The 'National Center for Health Research. She was the first individual to earn the 'Sportsman of the Year Legacy Award' from the magazine 'Sports Illustrated.'

Shriver received a historical portrait of herself on May 9, 2009, at the 'Smithsonian Institution's'National Portrait Gallery (NPG) in Washington, DC She, therefore, became the first person to get the accomplishment which was not a president or a "First Lady." David Lenz created the painting.

Shriver was posthumously recognized with the 'Arthur Ashe Courage Award' during the 2017 ESPY Awards in July. She also received the Laetare Medal, which was given to her by the University of Notre Dame and is famed to be one of the highest medals given to Catholics.

Other Interesting Eunice Kennedy Shriver Facts And Trivia

  • Eunice Kennedy was born with the Cancer zodiac sign.
  • She had blue eyes and grey hair.
  • Shriver was the sister-in-law of Jacqueline Kennedy.
  • Her husband was the United States Ambassador to France and was the Democratic Party's choice for Vice President in 1972. He was also a former Navi officer.
  • Shriver was hospitalized at the Cape Cod Hospital in Hyannis, Massachusetts, on August 7, 2009. The cause for the admission, however, remained unknown to the public. On August 10, her relatives were summoned to the hospital. She died on August 11.
  • On August 14, 2009, a 'Requiem Mass' was held at Hyannis' 'St. Francis Xavier Roman Catholic Church.' She was buried at the St. Francis Xavier's parish cemetery in Centerville.
  • She completed her graduation from Manhattanville College, Stanford University in 1943.
  • Eunice Kennedy endorsed her elder brother, John, during the Presidential run in 1960.
  • Eunice had an especially strong relationship with Rosemary, her sister, who had been intellectually disabled.
  • Her brother, Senator Edward Moore, passed away two weeks after her death on August 25, 2009.

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Kidadl Team
Written By
Kidadl Team

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