Chris Anne Affleck, Civil Rights Organizer And Mother of Ben and Casey Affleck, Dies at 83
Christopher Anne Affleck, a long-time civil rights organizer and educator, died in June at the age of 83. The mother of actors Ben and Casey Affleck received a terminal diagnosis in December 2025 and chose to spend her final months focused on her family.
Her family shared that her primary goal after receiving her diagnosis was to see her youngest grandson graduate high school. She reached that milestone on May 31, 2026, and passed away peacefully two days later. Beyond her role as a mother and grandmother, Affleck spent 35 years as a public school teacher in Massachusetts. She viewed every student as a member of her classroom, regardless of their background.
Her influence extended far beyond the classroom. A Harvard graduate, she participated in Freedom Summer in 1964 and remained active in social justice movements for decades, including protests against the Vietnam War. She also volunteered for Barack Obama’s campaign and worked with the Alliance for Water Justice in Palestine.
Even after her terminal diagnosis, she continued her community work, including the collection of oral histories. Her family remembers her as a woman who never let uncertainty stop her from taking action. She is survived by her five grandchildren.