A Shamrock woman said she cried when she learned the news of Sen. Edward M. "Ted" Kennedy's passing early this morning.

Barbara Ross said she was saddened to hear that Sen. Kennedy, who has battled brain cancer for the last year, had passed away at the age of 77 around 2 a.m.

"I cried when my husband told me the news," Ross said, as tears welled in her eyes. "My husband said 'You're not going to want to hear the news.'"

Ross said she doesn't normally watch much TV news, but tuned in this morning after her husband told her about Kennedy's death.

Ross said she's been a fan of the Kennedy family nearly all her life. She said she saw Sen. Kennedy on both his visits to Logan County when he campaigned for Democratic presidential candidates in 2000 and 2004.

"Ted Kennedy came right here to Stratton Street," Ross said. "Mayor Claude Ellis supported him and was here for his visit in 2004. I got to see him both times he was here. He stopped on his way through from Madison to Williamson. I was there when he spoke."

Ross said she had sent a card of sympathy to the Kennedy family when John F. Kennedy Jr. died tragically in a plane crash and received a card of thanks from Sen. Kennedy.

"I was so upset about that and I sent the family a card of sympathy," Ross said. "Then, about two months later, I got a card in the mail from Sen. Kennedy and the Kennedy family thanking me. It was a real nice card and in it he said he remembered Logan."

Ross said Kennedy was a powerful senator who worked hard in the Senate for the working man.

"He came down to our level and that's why I liked him," Ross said.