State Senator Edward Kennedy Passes Away at 74
October 2, 2025 – Massachusetts State Senator Edward kennedy, representing the First Middlesex District, has died, Senate President Karen Spilka announced Thursday. He was 74 years old.
Kennedy, a Lowell Democrat, served in the Massachusetts Senate since 2018, where he chaired the Joint Committee on Bonding, Capital Expenditures and State Assets and served as vice chair of the Joint Committee on Higher Education. Prior to his election to the Senate, Kennedy enjoyed a long career in local government and public service.
Spilka described Kennedy as a “valued member of the Senate and passionate advocate for the people of the First Middlesex district,” adding, “ed was a champion for education, environmental sustainability, cultural development and, of course, his beloved hometown of Lowell. He will be deeply missed by all those fortunate enough to know him.”
details regarding the cause and specific date of his death were not released.
Kennedy’s deep roots in Lowell were evident throughout his career. He served on the Lowell City Council from 1978 to 1985 and again from 2011 to 2019,including a term as mayor from 2016 to 2017. He also served as a Middlesex County Commissioner from 1992 to 1996.Before entering politics full-time, Kennedy worked as a public data officer and legislative liaison for the Massachusetts Department of Youth Services (1981-1987) and later as a commercial real estate appraiser with Madison Copp Appraisals until 2019.
The First Middlesex District Kennedy represented encompasses the communities of Lowell, Dracut, Dunstable, Pepperell, and Tyngsborough.
U.S. Representative Lori Trahan, who represents Lowell in Congress, lauded Kennedy as a dedicated public servant. “Ed’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 stated.”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.”
