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Kitty Dukakis
1936 - 2025
Kitty Dukakis
1936 - 2025
Obituary
Guest Book
BORN
1936
DIED
2025
Kitty Dukakis Obituary
Kitty Dukakis, addiction activist and the wife of Governor of Massachusetts and former presidential candidate Michael Dukakis, died March 21, 2025, of complications from dementia at her home in Brookline, Massachusetts.
Dukakis' struggles with depression led to addictions to diet pills and alcohol, addictions she openly shared even as her husband ran for president of the United States in 1988. This frankness led her to become an author and activist who focused on discussing addiction, its causes, and how to overcome it. She was a proponent of electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) to treat depression, which she wrote about in her 2006 book, "Shock: The Healing Power of Electroconvulsive Therapy," coauthored with Larry Tye.
Congressman Seth Moulton of MA called her "a remarkable woman, wife, and warrior for mental health who turned her challenges into opportunities for others" in a tribute on Facebook. "Godspeed, Kitty, and thank you for all that you've done. Sending love and gratitude and sorrow to the governor and family."
(Image: Joanne Rathe/The Boston Globe via Getty Images)
15 Entries
Joan Tsoukalas
May 9, 2025
Dear Mike,
I'm so sorry for your loss of our dear Kitty. As a mental health patient, I found Kitty such support to me. I so enjoyed getting to know her when George and I attended the ECT Support group meetings at your house. Her book Shock is such a beautiful gift and inspiration to the world of Mental Health Awareness. Kitty gifted me the book written about her dad, and I have that on my bookshelf beside hers. What a blessing to have had an amazing 63 years together. Cherish the memories. May Kitty's memory be eternal.
JK
April 24, 2025
May God give you strength and comfort during this difficult time. Sending condolences to her family and friends. She will be greatly missed and lovingly remembered by all who knew her.
Mary Lou Ryan
April 2, 2025
May you rest in sweet peace Kitty. Your openness and honesty perhaps helped more people than you could ever know. My sincere condolences to the Dukakis family on their loss of Kitty. Her work on earth is done.
Mr. Jr.
March 31, 2025
My condolences.
How you can show support
Erica clifford
March 29, 2025
Your a great woman..wife..mother...first lady most of all human of the best degree fly high
Lauren A Morley
March 28, 2025
Dear Mike and John Dukakis and family
Sad to hear my friend Kitty has passed I remember all those memories that we have had I will never forget her forever and ever
Lauren Morley
Jenee
March 28, 2025
I am so sorry about the loss of Kitty. The Dukakis family has my deepest condolences, and I pray that you will be surrounded continuously with love, support and "everlasting comfort (2 Thess 2:16).
Risa Aronson
March 28, 2025
Dear Michael,
Steve and I were so sad to hear about Kitty. We loved her and will always cherish the wonderful times we shared. She was a very special person. I´ll always remember the fun we had in Cuba, especially trying to do Pilates on those uncomfortable lounge chairs at the hotel. We loved our special times in the Berkshires as well as time spent in Newton and Brookline. Sending prayers, hugs and love always,
Risa and Steve
rebecca ostroff
March 27, 2025
Dear Governor and family,
My condolences to the loss of beloved Kitty.
I have fond memories of taking dance classes of some form with Kitty in the early 70s in Brookline.
I also remember coming by your house and you were making stock with turkey leftovers!!
Kitty would give me a ride home after class and we would sit in her car outside my parents house on Harvard Ave in Brookline Village and talk about all kinds of shenanigans ...
I remember her telling me Betty Ford told her " never stop dancing "
Thanks for your inspiration Kitty!
Becky Ostroff
Mary Ellen O´Connor
March 26, 2025
Dear (Gov.) Michael, John, Andrea, Kara
and families,
May the love and memories you shared
sustain you during this terribly difficult time. You were the loves of her life.
I was lucky to be one of her Performing
Modern Dance students at Lesley College
in the 70s. We adored her! She was vibrant, strong, fun-loving and a bright spot in our lives. After class, sitting on the floor of that old Gym, she´d check in with
us, making sure we were all ok. We are,
Kitty, thanks to you!
Thanks for being there for us, during those
impressionable years. Thanks, also, for
sharing your love of your husband and
children with us. What an inspiration! You were never forgotten, nor will you ever be.
Until we meet again, may God hold you in the hollow of his hand.
With love,
Mary Ellen O´Connor
Holyoke,Mass.
Lesley College `77
Paul Hart Miller
March 26, 2025
Governor,
My sincere condolences to you and your family upon the First Lady's passing. What a special partnership you both had in your political and personal lives. May the many special and treasured memories you have of your time with her comfort and sustain you at this sad time.
In sympathy,
Paul Hart Miller
Jeffrey Bonk Santa Monica, California
March 26, 2025
Dear Governor Dukakis,
I was deeply saddened to hear of your dear wife Kitty's passing.
On December 30th, 2008, I was at Costco in Marina Del Rey, California with my business partner Richard. The store was packed with people stocking up for New Year's Eve. Richard said that he saw you and Kitty
in the store. I never expected to find you in the sea of people, but when I went to the cracker isle to look for my favorite crackers, I saw Kitty pushing your cart, and then you appeared right next to me. I said "Governor, I voted for you, and you would have been a wonderful President." You put your arm around me, and asked me my name. I told
you that you were Governor of Massachusetts when I was a student at Wilbraham & Monson Academy and at Amherst College. You said that your son-in-law went to Amherst, and then you said "come meet the first lady", and you brought me over to meet Kitty. We spent about ten minutes talking, and then you put your arm around me again, and you
wished me a Happy New Year. Kitty held my hand, gave me a hug, and
she wished me a Happy New Year too. I will treasure that day when I was blessed to meet you and Kitty for the rest of my life. You are both so warm and loving and genuine, and God blessed Massachusetts and the entire country when he brought you into his world and into so many hearts including mine.
My thoughts and my prayers are with you, with your children, and your grandchildren, and with dear Kitty at this very sad time. I know she is in Heaven watching over you and all of her family with her endless love until you are reunited for eternity.
Jeffrey Bonk Santa Monica, California
[email protected]
Paul G Kirk Jr
March 25, 2025
Michael and Family,
I write to share my sorrow as well as my hope that your inevitable emptiness will be quickly filled by the warm memories of love that made your unique partnership with Kitty so special.
I hope you'll also be comforted by knowing that you were Kitty's blessing as surely as she was yours and that your many friends, including Gail and I, will be praying for Kitty's peace and your strength in the difficult days ahead.
I,too, will miss her kindness and her moral force.
Paul Kirk
Laurie Toner
March 24, 2025
Michael, you were blessed by God who gave her to you and with that you both shed some light. Today we mourn our loss and tomorrow we will smile with the memories.
Margie soliz Moreno
March 24, 2025
In loving memory of a wonderful person. We will love you and miss you always.
Showing 1 - 15 of 15 results
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