'Equal Partner': Jimmy Carter shares heartfelt tribute after Rosalynn Carter's death at 96
PLAINS, GEORGIA: Jimmy Carter, the 99-year-old former president, paid tribute to his deceased wife, Rosalynn Carter, 96, in a statement released by the Carter Center on November 19.
"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," said the former president.
The couple was married for 77 years and lived together in their Georgia home, where both entered hospice care. The former first lady is survived by her husband, four children, 11 grandchildren, and 14 great-grandchildren, according to the Daily Mail.
Chip Carter remembers his mother
"Besides being a loving mother and extraordinary First Lady, my mother was a great humanitarian in her own right," stated Rosalynn's son Chip.
"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."
President Joe Biden and first lady Jill Biden express their tribute
While attending a holiday meal with service members at a naval station in Virginia, Jill Biden announced, "The former First Lady Rosalynn Carter has just passed. She was well known for her efforts on mental health and caregiving and women’s rights, and so I hope that during the holidays you’ll include the Carter family in your prayers."
President Joe Biden remembered Rosalynn Carter as a lady of great integrity, reported ABC News.
In a joint statement, the Bidens said, "First Lady Rosalynn Carter walked her own path, inspiring a nation and the world along the way."
"The deep love shared between Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter is the definition of partnership, and their humble leadership is the definition of patriotism. She lived her life by her faith."
"On behalf of a grateful nation, we send our love to President Carter, the entire Carter family, and the countless people across our nation and the world whose lives are better, fuller, and brighter because of the life and legacy of Rosalynn Carter," they added.
Rosalynn Carter remembered by former first couples fondly
Highlighting Rosalynn's role as an advocate for various progressive rights, Michelle Obama wrote on Facebook, "Her groundbreaking work to combat the stigma faced by those struggling with their mental health brought light to so many suffering in silence."
"She advocated for better care for the elderly. She advanced women’s rights. And she remained a champion for those causes — and many others like building affordable housing for those in need and caring for our nation’s caregivers — in the more than four decades that followed," continued the post.
Posting on behalf of her husband, former President Barack Obama, and herself, Michelle wrote on X, "Today, Barack and I join the world in celebrating the remarkable legacy of a First Lady, philanthropist, and advocate who dedicated her life to lifting up others. Her life is a reminder that no matter who we are, our legacies are best measured not in awards or accolades, but in the lives we touch. We send our thoughts and prayers to Jimmy and the entire Carter family during this difficult time."
Former President George W Bush and his wife Laura called Rosalynn "a woman of dignity and strength," saying, "There was no greater advocate of President Carter, and their partnership set a wonderful example of loyalty and fidelity. She leaves behind an important legacy in her work to destigmatize mental health."
A statement from Bill and Hillary Clinton read, "Throughout her long, remarkable life, she was an unwavering voice for the overlooked and underrepresented. Thanks to her mental health advocacy, more people live with better care and less stigma."
"Because of her early leadership on childhood immunization, millions of Americans have grown up healthier. And through her decades of work at the Carter Center and with Habitat for Humanity, she spread hope, health, and democracy across the globe."