Former First Lady of the United States, Rosalynn Carter has died aged 96. She is remembered as a passionate humanitarian and champion of mental health, caregiving, and women’s rights.
Rosalynn Carter was married to Jimmy Carter, the 39th President of the United States, for 77 years. The couple married in 1946 when he was 21 and she was 18.
She passed away Sunday afternoon at 2:10 p.m. at her home in Plains, Georgia, with family by her side. Carter was diagnosed with dementia in May and was admitted to hospice care on Friday. She joined her husband, now aged 99, who is also currently in hospice care with his own health issues.
In a moving statement following her death, Jimmy Carter paid tribute to his wife, painting an image of Rosalynn as a loving companion and a key supporter, advisor, and partner during his political career.
“Rosalynn was my equal partner in everything I ever accomplished,” President Carter said in the statement.
“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 is survived by her children — Jack, Chip, Jeff, and Amy — and 11 grandchildren and 14 great-grandchildren.
“Besides being a loving mother and extraordinary First Lady, my mother was a great humanitarian in her own right,” said 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.”
As First Lady, Rosalynn forged her own identiy and was key advisor of the President, who consulted her regularly. She made a tangible impact on a number of issues, especially in the area of mental health where she worked to rid the stigma attached to mental illnesss, and fought for better access to mental health treatment and services.
In 1999, President Bill Clinton presented both Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter with the Presidential Medal of Freedom. At the time, he said they had “done more good things for more people in more places than any other couple on Earth.”
In 1987, she founded the Rosalynn Carter Institute for Caregivers.
In announcing her demenita diagnosis earlier this year, the Carter family noted “that there are only four kinds of people in this world: those who have been caregivers; those who are currently caregivers, those who will be caregivers, and those who will need caregivers.”
“The universality of caregiving is clear in our family, and we are experiencing the joy and the challenges of this journey. We do not expect to comment further and ask for understanding for our family and for everyone across the country serving in a caregiver role,” the statement from the family said.
“Mrs. Carter has been the nation’s leading mental health advocate for much of her life. First in the Georgia Governor’s Mansion, then in the White House, and later at The Carter Center, she urged improved access to care and decreased stigma about issues surrounding mental health.
“One in 10 older Americans have dementia, a condition that affects overall mental health. We recognize, as she did more than half a century ago, that stigma is often a barrier that keeps individuals and their families from seeking and getting much-needed support. We hope sharing our family’s news will increase important conversations at kitchen tables and in doctor’s offices around the country.”
President Joe Biden and First Lady Jill Biden paid tribute to Rosalynn, describing her as someone who walked her own path and inspired others.
“She was a champion for equal rights and opportunities for women and girls; an advocate for mental health and wellness for every person; and a supporter of the often unseen and uncompensated caregivers of our children, aging loved ones, and people with disabilities,” they said.
“Time and time again, during the more than four decades of our friendship – through rigors of campaigns, through the darkness of deep and profound loss – we always felt the hope, warmth, and optimism of Rosalynn Carter. She will always be in our hearts.”