Former First Lady Rosalynn Carter Passes Away at 96

Besides being a loving mother and extraordinary First Lady, my mother was a great humanitarian in her own right. Her life of service and compassion was an example for all Americans. 

Chip Carter, son of Rosalynn and Jimmy Carter, after the passing of his mother on Sunday.

Former First Lady Rosalynn Carter passed away on Sunday at the age of 96 at her home in Plains, Georgia. Wife to the 39th President, Jimmy Carter, Rosalynn was a “passionate champion of mental health, caregiving, and women’s rights …” (The Carter Center).

Rosalynn had been diagnosed with dementia in May and entered hospice care at her home on Friday.

President Jimmy Carter said, “Rosalynn was my equal partner in everything I ever accomplished. 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.” President Carter (the longest-living U.S. president who celebrated is 99th birthday in October), has been receiving hospice care at home since February. The two are the longest-married first couple in U.S. history and celebrated their 77th wedding in July. 

Her Legacy: Rosalynn made mental health her priority as First Lady and served as honorary chair of the President’s Commission on Mental Health. She also created an East Wing office inside the White House and was the first First Lady to hire a chief of staff with the same salary and rank as other White House staff. She served as a full partner with President Carter at their nonprofit, the Carter Center, in Atlanta and founded the Rosalynn Carter Institute for Caregivers, in which she remained active into her older years.

Read More:

Former First Lady Rosalynn Carter Passes Away at Age 96 (The Carter Center)

Space Is Power: Rosalynn Carter’s East Wing and the office that changed everything (East Wing Magazine)

Rosalynn Carter, outspoken former first lady, dies at 96 (The Associated Press)