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Jean was the shyest and most guarded of the Kennedy children. Her mother would say of her youngest daughter, "She was born so late, that she only was able to enjoy the tragedies, and not the triumphs." She would go on to attend Manhattanville College, a Sacred Heart school, where should would meet and befriend two future sisters-in-law: Ethel Skakel, who would marry her brother Robert in 1950, and Virginia Joan Bennett, who would marry her baby brother Edward in 1958. She herself would be married on May 19, 1955 in the small chapel of St. Patrick's Cathedral to Stephen Edward Smith , a businessman who helped run the Cleary Brothers Company, the family boat and shipping business. He would, in time, not only take over the Kennedy families' finances, he would also become a political advisor and campaign manager for the Kennedy brothers. (He would become the Undersecretary of the Treasury under President Kennedy).

The Smiths would maintain a lower profile than the other Kennedy's, preferring to stay out of the glare of the spotlight. During the early 1960s, they would permanently settle in New York City. Jean would have two sons, Stephen Jr. (b. 1957) and William Kennedy (b. 1960), and eventually adopt two daughters: Amanda Mary (b. 1967) and Kym Maria (b. 1972) who was actually born in VietnamThe Socialist Republic of Vietnam is a country in Southeast Asia. It borders China, Laos, Cambodia, and the Gulf of Tonkin. Cng Hoa Xa Hi Ch Nghia Vit Nam ( In Detail) (Full size) National motto: Dc lp, t do, hnh phuc (Independence, Liberty, Happiness Off during the war.

Jean managed to stay just out of the camera lens until the 1990sCenturies: 19th century 20th century 21st century Decades: 1940s 1950s 1960s 1970s 1980s 1990s 2000s 2010s 2020s 2030s 2040s Years: Events and trends Computers, technology Explosive growth of the Internet; decrease in the cost of computers and other techn when she and her family were forced into the spotlight. First, her husband Steve died after a brief battle with cancer on August 19August 19 is the 231st day of the year (232nd in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar. There are 134 days remaining. Events 1561 Mary Stuart returns to Scotland. 1692 Salem Witch Trials: In Salem, Massachusetts five women and a clergyman are executed aft, 1990Events January January 3 Former leader of Panama Manuel Noriega surrenders to American forces. January 7 The Leaning Tower of Pisa is closed to the public due to safety concerns. January 9 Lt Gen Bazilio Olara Okello The man who led the coup aginst Dr Apo. The next year, her son William, who was a medical student at Northwestern University Medical School , was accused of rape in Florida (he was acquitted). Then in 19931993 is a common year starting on Friday and marked the Beginning of the International Decade to Combat Racism and Racial Discrimination (1993-2003 Events January January 1 Czechoslovakia divides. Establishment of independent Slovakia and Czech Republic., she was appointed by President Bill ClintonWilliam Jefferson Clinton (born William Jefferson Blythe III on August 19, 1946) is a U. politician who served two terms as the 42nd President of the United States from 1993 to 2001. A moderate Democrat who was elected Governor of Arkansas five times, Cli as the American Ambassador to IrelandThe island of Ireland ire in Irish, Airlann in Ulster Scots) is the third-largest island in Europe. It lies on the west side of the Irish Sea, close to the island of Great Britain. It is composed of the Republic of Ireland in the south and Northern Irelan, continuing a legacy of diplomacy begun by her father who was the Ambassador to the Court of St. James during the Roosevelt administration. She played a pivotal role in the peace process in that region for almost five years before resigning the post.

Since then, Ambassador Smith has founded the Very Special ArtsVSA arts is an international nonprofit organization founded in 1974 by Ambassador Jean Kennedy Smith. It was originally called Very Special Arts. VSA arts is an organization that promotes participation in the arts by people with disabilities. It provides, a nonprofit organization which promotes the artistic talents of mentally and physically challenged children. She also sits on the board of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. Today, she commutes between New York City and Washington D.C.