Former U.S. first lady Rosalynn Carter, wife of former President Jimmy Carter, died on Sunday at age 96, the Carter Center said. In recent days, Carter had entered hospice care at home in Plains, Georgia. As per a statement released by the Carter Centre, a nonprofit organisation founded by the couple, she died with her family by her side.
Former US President Jimmy Carter morned the death of his wife Rosalynn Carter and said that she was his equal partner in everything she ever accomplished. “Rosalynn was my equal partner in everything I ever accomplished,” her husband, former President Jimmy Carter, said, as quoted by CNN. “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.”
Jimmy Carter called Carter "an extension of myself" due to his wife's instrumental role in his administration, even as she very actively and tirelessly promoted the cause of mental health. Jimmy Carter, a Democrat, served as president from 1977 to 1981. He and his wife were the longest-married U.S. presidential couple, having wed in 1946. At the time of their wedding, he was 21 and she was 18.
After his single term as president ended, Jimmy Carter went on to enjoy more post-White House years than any president before him, as per Reuters. His wife, Rosalynn Carter, played an key role during those years, including as part of the Carter Center and the Habitat for Humanity charity. In May, Rosalynn Carter’s family disclosed that she was suffering with dementia but was continuing to live at home, as per Reuters.
Jimmy Carter, 99, himself is in hospice care after deciding in February to decline additional medical intervention. "Rosalynn was my equal partner in everything I ever accomplished," the former president said in the statement, as quoted by Reuters. "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."
US President Joe Biden and first lady Jill Biden said that Rosalynn Carter "walked her own path, inspiring a nation and the world along the way."
"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," the Bidens said in a statement, as quoted by Reuters. Joe Biden had served in the Senate during the Carter presidency. Former Presidents Bill Clinton, George W. Bush, Barack Obama, and Donald Trump also lauded her.