Kitty Dukakis, wife of former Massachusetts governor and 1988 Democratic presidential nominee Michael Dukakis, has died at 88 due to complications from dementia.
Her son, John Dukakis, said she passed away peacefully at home in Brookline, surrounded by family.
Born Katharine Dickson in 1936, she was a political figure, author, and advocate known for her resilience and public service. Married to Michael Dukakis since 1963, they had three children.
As Massachusetts’s first lady, she supported education, mental health, and the arts, and played a visible role during the 1988 presidential campaign.
Kitty struggled with depression and alcoholism, but after a widely reported 1989 hospitalization, she became an outspoken advocate for mental health awareness. Her 1991 memoir *Now You Know* detailed her journey, and she later promoted electroconvulsive therapy (ECT), co-authoring *Shock* in 2006 to destigmatize the treatment. She remained active in public service, earning respect for her honesty, strength, and dedication to helping others.
