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Kitty Dukakis, Advocate for Mental Health and Holocaust Education, Dies at 88

The former Massachusetts first lady and wife of Michael Dukakis used her personal struggles to champion addiction recovery, mental health awareness, and humanitarian causes.

Kitty Dukakis has died at 88.
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Former Massachusetts Governor and onetime presidential candidate Michael Dukakis and his wife Kitty attend the third night of the 2004 Democratic National Convention at the FleetCenter in Boston, on July 28, 2004.

Overview

  • Kitty Dukakis passed away on March 21, 2025, at the age of 88 due to complications from dementia, surrounded by her family in Brookline, Massachusetts.
  • She was a vocal advocate for mental health treatment, openly discussing her battles with depression and addiction, and promoting electroconvulsive therapy as a viable treatment option.
  • Dukakis played a significant role in Holocaust education, serving on commissions and as a founding member of the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum.
  • As the wife of former Massachusetts governor and 1988 Democratic presidential nominee Michael Dukakis, she was a key figure in his political career and campaign efforts.
  • Her family remembered her as loving, empathetic, and feisty, with a lifelong commitment to public service and helping others overcome their struggles.