Julia Thorne
Encyclopedia
Julia Stimson Thorne was a writer
and the first wife of U.S. Senator John Kerry
.
. She was the daughter of Alice Smith Barry and Landon Ketchum Thorne, Jr. Her brothers are Landon Ketchum Thorne III of Beaufort, South Carolina and her twin brother David Thorne
of Brookline, Massachusetts. She spent much of her childhood in Rome and attended the international school, Marymount in Rome while her brother David attended the Overseas School of Rome. Her father had been appointed to a diplomatic post and was publisher of the The Voice of the Daily American. She attended the Foxcroft School in Middleburg, Virginia. She took classes at the New York School of Interior Design and Radcliffe College.
Thorne met Kerry in 1963 at her family's estate in Bay Shore, New York on Long Island. Kerry was a Yale classmate of Thorne's twin brother David. Thorne married Kerry on May 23, 1970 and divorce
d on July 25, 1988, after a six-year separation. They have two children together, Alexandra Kerry
(born 1973) and Vanessa Kerry
(born 1976). During their marriage, Thorne began showing signs of depression and later wrote that she had at one time contemplated suicide. She overcame depression by 1990, and by all accounts the couple had an amicable relationship .
She married Richard J. Charlesworth in 1997 and they moved to Bozeman, Montana
. On May 7, 1997, two years after his remarriage, Kerry publicly announced that he had requested an annulment
from the Roman Catholic Church
of his marriage to Thorne.
, stating, "I think he is an immensely talented statesman, and I am 100 percent behind him".
She did, however, express concern about protecting her privacy, and stated that she hoped the couple's daughters would not become too involved in public life.
in Concord, Massachusetts
.
After Thorne's death, following a long battle with cancer, Kerry released the following statement:
, a defiant activist in the struggle for religious freedom. William Thorne Sr., third signatory of the Flushing Remonstrance
is also an ancestor.
Writer
A writer is a person who produces literature, such as novels, short stories, plays, screenplays, poetry, or other literary art. Skilled writers are able to use language to portray ideas and images....
and the first wife of U.S. Senator John Kerry
John Kerry
John Forbes Kerry is the senior United States Senator from Massachusetts, the 10th most senior U.S. Senator and chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. He was the presidential nominee of the Democratic Party in the 2004 presidential election, but lost to former President George W...
.
Early life
Thorne was born in New York CityNew York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
. She was the daughter of Alice Smith Barry and Landon Ketchum Thorne, Jr. Her brothers are Landon Ketchum Thorne III of Beaufort, South Carolina and her twin brother David Thorne
David Thorne
David Thorne is an American businessman and diplomat who serves as United States Ambassador to Italy and Ambassador to San Marino. He was nominated by President Barack Obama and sworn in August 17, 2009....
of Brookline, Massachusetts. She spent much of her childhood in Rome and attended the international school, Marymount in Rome while her brother David attended the Overseas School of Rome. Her father had been appointed to a diplomatic post and was publisher of the The Voice of the Daily American. She attended the Foxcroft School in Middleburg, Virginia. She took classes at the New York School of Interior Design and Radcliffe College.
Thorne met Kerry in 1963 at her family's estate in Bay Shore, New York on Long Island. Kerry was a Yale classmate of Thorne's twin brother David. Thorne married Kerry on May 23, 1970 and divorce
Divorce
Divorce is the final termination of a marital union, canceling the legal duties and responsibilities of marriage and dissolving the bonds of matrimony between the parties...
d on July 25, 1988, after a six-year separation. They have two children together, Alexandra Kerry
Alexandra Kerry
Alexandra Forbes Kerry is a film producer and film director.Alexandra Kerry is the elder daughter of current Massachusetts Senator and 2004 US Democratic presidential nominee John Kerry. Her mother was Julia Thorne, who was married to John Kerry from 1970 until their divorce in 1988. Alexandra...
(born 1973) and Vanessa Kerry
Vanessa Kerry
Vanessa Bradford Kerry is the younger daughter of John Kerry and his first wife, Julia Thorne. She gained national recognition while campaigning for her father during the 2004 presidential election....
(born 1976). During their marriage, Thorne began showing signs of depression and later wrote that she had at one time contemplated suicide. She overcame depression by 1990, and by all accounts the couple had an amicable relationship .
She married Richard J. Charlesworth in 1997 and they moved to Bozeman, Montana
Bozeman, Montana
Bozeman is a city in and the county seat of Gallatin County, Montana, United States, in the southwestern part of the state. The 2010 census put Bozeman's population at 37,280 making it the fourth largest city in the state. It is the principal city of the Bozeman micropolitan area, which consists...
. On May 7, 1997, two years after his remarriage, Kerry publicly announced that he had requested an annulment
Annulment
Annulment is a legal procedure for declaring a marriage null and void. Unlike divorce, it is usually retroactive, meaning that an annulled marriage is considered to be invalid from the beginning almost as if it had never taken place...
from the Roman Catholic Church
Roman Catholic Church
The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the world's largest Christian church, with over a billion members. Led by the Pope, it defines its mission as spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ, administering the sacraments and exercising charity...
of his marriage to Thorne.
Kerry's 2004 Presidential Campaign
She endorsed Kerry's 2004 presidential campaignJohn Kerry presidential campaign, 2004
The Presidential Campaign of John Kerry, U.S. Senator from Massachusetts and the nominee of the Democratic Party challenged Republican incumbent President George W. Bush in the U.S. presidential election on November 2, 2004. Ultimately, Kerry conceded defeat in the race in a telephone call to Bush...
, stating, "I think he is an immensely talented statesman, and I am 100 percent behind him".
She did, however, express concern about protecting her privacy, and stated that she hoped the couple's daughters would not become too involved in public life.
Books
She was the author of the books You Are Not Alone: Words of Experience and Hope for the Journey Through Depression (1993) (with Larry Rothstein) (ISBN 0-06-096977-6) and A Change of Heart: Words of Experience and Hope for the Journey Through Divorce (1996) (ISBN 0-06-095105-2).Death
She was being treated for transitional-cell carcinoma, a form of cancer. Thorne died of bladder cancerBladder cancer
Bladder cancer is any of several types of malignant growths of the urinary bladder. It is a disease in which abnormal cells multiply without control in the bladder. The bladder is a hollow, muscular organ that stores urine; it is located in the pelvis...
in Concord, Massachusetts
Concord, Massachusetts
Concord is a town in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, in the United States. As of the 2010 census, the town population was 17,668. Although a small town, Concord is noted for its leading roles in American history and literature.-History:...
.
After Thorne's death, following a long battle with cancer, Kerry released the following statement:
- "Julia was the best mother two daughters could ask for. She always put our kids ahead of everything. She was completely committed to them and their future. Julia fought a hugely courageous fight against cancer and she passed away with the same grace with which she lived. Everyone who knew her will miss her beyond words".
Ancestry
Julia Thorne was a direct eleventh generation descendant of John BowneJohn Bowne
John Bowne was an English immigrant residing in the Dutch colony of New Netherland, who is honored today as a pioneer in the American struggle for religious liberty....
, a defiant activist in the struggle for religious freedom. William Thorne Sr., third signatory of the Flushing Remonstrance
Flushing Remonstrance
The Flushing Remonstrance was a 1657 petition to Director-General of New Netherland Peter Stuyvesant, in which several citizens requested an exemption to his ban on Quaker worship. It is considered a precursor to the United States Constitution's provision on freedom of religion in the Bill of...
is also an ancestor.
External links
- http://www.wargs.com/political/thorne.html Julia Stimson Thorne's Family Tree
- http://thorn.pair.com/williamthorne1/d4614.htm#P4614 Another Thorne Family Tree, with navigable links through the generations
- http://www.boston.com/news/nation/articles/2004/07/02/senators_divorce_records_available/ Senator's divorce records available - An article on Boston Globe revealing that John Kerry and Julia Stimson Thorne's divorce papers are public
- http://www.boston.com/news/local/massachusetts/articles/2006/04/28/julia_thorne_author_and_ex_wife_of_sen_kerry_dead_at_61/ Julia Thorne, author and ex-wife of Sen. Kerry, dead at 61 - Obituary from the Boston Globe