Chris Anne Affleck, Civil Rights Organizer And Mother of Ben and Casey Affleck, Dies at 82 - TODAY.com
Chris Anne Affleck, a dedicated civil rights organizer, teacher, and mother to actors Ben and Casey Affleck, has passed away at age 83. Her life was marked by a commitment to social justice, including participation in the 1964 Freedom Summer.
Why it matters
The obituary highlights the legacy of a private citizen who contributed significantly to civil rights movements and public education.
Christopher Anne Affleck, mother of actors Ben and Casey Affleck, died in June after a monthslong battle with a terminal illness, the family announced July 23. She was 83. Affleck, a civil rights organizer and teacher, received her diagnosis in December 2025 and was given six months to live, according to her obituary in The Boston Globe. She passed just after being able to witness one of her biggest ambitions, according to the family. “Her greatest wish after her diagnosis, however, was to live to see her grandson graduate high school,” the family wrote in the obituary. “She did so, attending with her family on May 31, 2026. She died peacefully, in her sleep, two days later.” Affleck, who was born in New York City in 1942, spent 35 years as a public school teacher in Massachusetts, the obituary said.
Get smarter about the news
Sign up free for a feed built around what you actually care about, Dive Deeper research on any story, and the full text of every article.
Create free accountAlready have an account? Sign in