Posted on 10/25/2004 3:23:21 AM PDT by Oldeconomybuyer
Why have we not heard anything about Sen. John Kerry’s former wife, the mother of his daughters? What can you tell us about her? When divorced, remarried, etc.? - P.S., Lebanon
You probably haven’t heard anything about her because she’s an exceedingly private person.
Kerry married the former Julia Thorne, a Philadelphia heiress, in 1970 in Bay Shore, N.Y. They honeymooned in Jamaica.
As you note, they had two daughters, Alexandra in 1973 and Vanessa in 1976.
The couple separated in 1982 at a time when Thorne was battling a deep depression and contemplating suicide.
"After 14 years as a political wife," she wrote in a book about depression titled "You Are Not Alone," "I associated politics only with anger, fear and loneliness. …
"I could no longer pretend I was of use to my husband or my children. I knew that once I was gone my family and friends would be relieved of the burden of my incompetency."
The couple’s divorce was final in 1988 but was not annulled by the Roman Catholic Church until 1997 – two years after Kerry married Teresa Simões-Ferreira Heinz, a former United Nations translator and widow of Pennsylvania Sen. H. John Heinz III, a Republican.
Thorne now lives in Bozeman, Mont., with her new husband, architect Richard Charlesworth, and recently completed a course of treatment for cancer.
She’s spurned attempts to get her to talk about her ex-husband.
"Julia does not want to answer questions from the media," a family friend told the Bozeman Daily Chronicle earlier this year. "She hopes her desire for privacy will be respected and honored thoroughly. … She wants to be left alone."
[snip]
(Excerpt) Read more at bristolnews.com ...
Dear nmh,
"If you go by the Catholic church it would make them ILLEGITIMATE. They 'annulled' the marriage."
No, not right.
The Catholic Church recognizes that marriage is recognized in law, and can be recognized as well, sacramentally, by the Church.
Do you think the Catholic Church views the children of atheists married by the Justice of the Peace do be illegitimate? If you so think, you're in error. The Church recognizes civil law, and the legitimacy granted thereby.
sitetest
"With his rich wife, his political life, his ambtion, there are his daughters. And the first wife is at home with cancer. I dont know about anyone else, but I would be at my motheers side."
I'm with you, CJ. Seems those two daughters of theirs picked up their father's sense of priorities. I was with my dad when we got the news of how bad his cancer was. He was given 3 mos. to live (6 at most). I promised him that day I would stay by his side no matter what. He fought that cancer for 2 1/2 years. I remember those days and nights during his chemo treatments, too. Didn't think anyone could take that much emotional and physical pain, but my dad did. He was my hero. I kept my promise to him too and held his hand until he took his last breath. Nothing could have kept me away from him and I cannot comprehend those women not being their for their mother. Like I said, it just shows their lack of character - just like their dad's, IMHO.
Man is it ever - “Connubial Bliss” if ever I saw it!
Kerry was tapped for Skull and Bones in 1966, two years before Bush (1968), whose father (1948) and grandfather Prescott (1917) were also Bonesmen. Kerry’s brother-in-law from his first marriage, David Thorne (1966), was in Kerry's tap class. Kerry went to Pamplona in Spain to run with the bulls with classmate David Thorne. Kerry was probably chosen because of his reputation as a strong debater. His fellows included one of his closest friends, William Pershing, who was killed in Vietnam, and David Thorne, the brother of his first wife. Frederick Smith, a founder of the Federal Express delivery service, was also in Kerry's year.
And just by coincidence I'm sure, the late husband of Kerry’s current wife, Mama T - John Heintz II (1931) was a Bonesman.
This little bit of info on Kerry's former wife comes from Family Tree of Thomas Jefferson and Other Famous Americans
Author of "You Are Not Alone : Words of Experience & Hope for the Journey Through Depresion" by Julia Thorne http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0060969776/slavesofthomasje
"By all accounts a lovely woman who is now happily remarried in Montana", Salon Magazine.
"At Yale, Kerry also made a special friendship with David Thorne, whose sister Julia he courted. (One published estimate of Thorne family wealth: $300 million.) They wed in 1970. She was descended from George Washington痴 Attorney General William Bradford (who ended the Whiskey Rebellion). Her great-uncle was Henry Stimson, the Secretary of State under President Herbert Hoover and Secretary of War under Presidents Franklin Delano Roosevelt and Harry Truman. (Stimson by some accounts made the decision to target Nagasaki, the most Christian city in Japan, for nuclear annihilation.) " David Brinkley
Since Kerry married before being granted an annullment, he was not legitamitely married in a Catholic sacrament. Either he lied about his previous marriage or he was not married by a competent Catholic priest. In either case, his 1995 marriage to THK is not a Catholic marriage.
Dear kidd,
"In either case, his 1995 marriage to THK is not a Catholic marriage."
For folks who marry before a decree of nullity is obtained, the marriage is often blessed and validated after the fact. In this way, it is then recognized by the Catholic Church.
sitetest
Agreed.
However the 1995 marriage (the marriage that took place in 1995) could not have been a Catholic marriage. Either he lied about his previous marriage, he lied about the status of his anullment, or he found a priest who didn't bother to ask about previous marriages.
He may have (MAY have) fixed things up later, and it may be recognized now, but there was some degree of dishonesty in the 1995 marriage.
Dear kidd,
Certainly, the 1995 marriage had no sacramental effect in the external forum. If witnessed by a priest intent on validating a Catholic marriage, it was invalid.
Mr. Kerry has been vague about the details, here. I could only speculate why. I'm not sure such speculation wouldn't violate the Eighth Commandment, so I think I'll refrain.
However, since Mr. Kerry proclaims loudly every day that he is a devout Catholic, it would be a service to Catholics if he were to clear up this issue.
sitetest
Julia had Kerry's sons, not daughters.
As to the children's legitamacy status, to my way of thinking, it's only the parents' relationship that is illegitamate. John and Teresa weren't legally married until the common law of their residential state took over after this so-called anullment was "sanctioned" by the Catholic Church.
What disgusting but typical behavior from Kerry. He ran out on his fellow soldiers, his country and even his family.
I will politely say, you have no clue whatsoever.
You seem to think annulment means "erasing" a marriage. It doesn't. I'm not going to explain it, you can/would find out for yourself if you were truly interested.
The Church makes the annulment process anything but easy.
The cost also is not much, considering a tribunal spends months or years on a case. And, if one can't afford it, it can be "dealt with".
You sound like alot of people who like to make sweeping pronouncements about the Church, when they really don't know much beyond rumors and talltales.
Somebody should write a compendium of bio's of all the twisted dweebs that rose to prominence during the hippy/protestor days.
Alan Ginsberg...
Ira Einhorn...
Charles Manson...
John Kerry...
etc....
ATTENTION PAJAMAHADEEN and ALL MEDIA and BLOGGER FREEPERS!!! Kerry said he spent his honeymoon in PARIS, when he met with the enemy, but he REALLY spent his honeymoon in Jamaica!!
In the words of Lawrence O'Donnell...LIAR..LIAR...LIAR...LIAR...LIAR...LIAR...LIAR.....LIAR.
It doesn't sound like the Kerry's are married in the eyes of the Church.
Kerry doesn' have any sons.
An annulment means that in the eyes of the Church, no marriage ever existed. The couple were never married. That sounds remarkable like "erasing" a marriage. The children are "legitimate" from a civil legal standpoint since they were the children of a legal marriage, but they were not the children of a valid Catholic marriage in the eyes of the Church, and in the eyes of God, according to the judgment of the marriage tribunal.
Kerry has two daughters by Julia,,Alexandra and Vanessa. He has stepsons who are the Heinz boys. He has no natural sons that I know of.
Too bad she didn't choose a guy ont he right side of politics... for us anyway We associate politics with happiness, hope and togetherness with our family of people who think, hope and push for the same common good! ah well. :)
No, that's not it.
I saw a couple go through hell getting one in the 1980s, and he had a child from a first marriage.
It was sad.
I stand corrected on the legal distinction. Did I misunderstand the original post about his daughters campaigning with him instead of being with Julia, who isn't even their stepmother?
I just posted the girls were with Kerry rather than with their mother who just had chemo for Cancer. I don't know how long ago or what the circumstances. But given he abandoned their mother while she was ill, I thought it seemed so wrong they are now helping him in his search for the limelight.
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