“Rosalynn was my equal partner in everything I ever accomplished,” President Carter said.
Just days after entering hospice at home in Plains Georgia, former first lady Rosalynn Carter passed away on Sunday afternoon. She was 96. A statement released by The Carter Center said she died peacefully, “with family by her side.” The Center announced in May that she’d been diagnosed with dementia.
She was married to former president Jimmy Carter for over seven decades; the couple celebrated their 77th wedding anniversary in July of this year. The Carters had the longest presidential marriage, and their love story endured through the years.
“Rosalynn was my equal partner in everything I ever accomplished,” President Carter said. “She gave me wise guidance and encouragement when I needed it. As long as Rosalynn was in the world, I always knew somebody loved and supported me.”
Rosalynn served as first lady from 1977-1981, and unlike many previous women in the position at the time, she sat in on Cabinet meetings, spoke out on controversial issues, and represented her husband on foreign trips. Aides to President Carter sometimes privately referred to as “co-president.”
She was a longtime advocate for mental health, and was a supporter of human rights, social justice, and the needs of elderly people.
“Besides being a loving mother and extraordinary First Lady, my mother was a great humanitarian in her own right,” said her son Chip Carter. “Her life of service and compassion was an example for all Americans. She will be sorely missed not only by our family but by the many people who have better mental health care and access to resources for caregiving today.”
The Carters shared four children, 11 grandchildren, and 14 great-grandchildren. The Carter Center will release a schedule of memorial events and funeral ceremonies soon. Below is a brief look at her life through photos.
