Rosalynn Carter, the former first lady of the United States and wife of former President Jimmy Carter, died Sunday at the age of 96, the Carter Center said. In recent days, Carter had entered hospice care at home in Plains, Georgia. He died with his family at his side, according to a statement released by the Carter Center, a non-profit organization founded by the couple.
Former US President Jimmy Carter mourned the death of his wife Rosalynn Carter and said that she was his equal partner in everything he achieved. “Rosalynn was my equal partner in everything I have ever accomplished,” her husband, former President Jimmy Carter, was quoted as saying by CNN. “He gave me wise guidance and encouragement when I needed it. As long as Rosalynn was in this world, I always knew that someone loved and supported me.
Jimmy Carter called Carter “an extension of himself” due to his wife’s important role in his administration, while she very actively and tirelessly promoted the issue of mental health. Jimmy Carter, a Democrat, served as president from 1977 to 1981. He and his wife were the longest-married US presidential couple, having been married since 1946. At the time of their marriage, he was 21 and she was 18.
According to Reuters, after his single term as president ended, Jimmy Carter enjoyed his later years in the White House more than any president before him. His wife, Rosalynn Carter, played an important role during those years, including founding the Carter Center and the Habitat for Humanity charity. In May, Rosalynn Carter’s family revealed that she was suffering from dementia but living at home, according to Reuters.
Jimmy Carter, 99, is in hospice care himself after deciding to refuse additional medical intervention in February. “Roslyn was my equal partner in whatever I accomplished,” the former president said in a statement, quoted by Reuters. “She gave me wise guidance and encouragement when I needed it. As long as Rosalyn was in this world, I always knew I had someone loving and supporting me.”
US President Joe Biden and First Lady Jill Biden said Rosalynn Carter “walked her own path, and inspired a nation and the world along her path.”
“She was a champion of equal rights and opportunities for women and girls; an advocate for mental health and well-being for every individual; and an advocate for the often overlooked and uncompensated caregivers of our children, aging loved ones and those with disabilities. ” the Bidens said in a statement, as cited by Reuters. Joe Biden served in the Senate during Carter’s presidency. Former Presidents Bill Clinton, George W Bush, Barack Obama and Donald Trump also praised him.
