Former President Jimmy Carter made a rare public appearance at the memorial service for his late wife, Rosalynn Carter, who passed away on November 19 at the age of 96. Despite his frail health, the 99-year-old Carter left his hospice care to pay tribute to the love of his life. Let’s dive into the heartwarming details of how this adoring man honored his beloved wife.
On November 28, attendees, including past and present presidents and first ladies, gathered at Glenn Memorial Church in Atlanta to celebrate Rosalynn Carter’s life. President Joe Biden and first lady Jill Biden, former President Bill Clinton, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, former first ladies Melania Trump, Michelle Obama, and Laura Bush, as well as Vice President Kamala Harris, were there to pay their respects.
But it was Jimmy Carter’s entrance that captivated everyone’s attention. Wheelchair-bound and supported by a Secret Service agent, the former president made his first public appearance since September. Just months before his 99th birthday, Carter and Rosalynn were seen together at their hometown’s annual Plains Peanut Festival, waving to the crowd in an SUV driven by a Secret Service agent. Little did they know that it would be their last public outing together.
Carter was by his wife’s side of 77 years when she passed away. In a heartfelt statement, he expressed, “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.”
At the memorial service, Jimmy Carter sat in the front pew, draped in a black suit with a white shirt. He covered his outstretched legs with a white blanket adorned with a portrait of him and his late wife. The blanket also paid tribute to their small town of Plains, Georgia, where their love story began and where they continued to reside even after their time in the White House. Illustrations of dogwood flowers, native to Georgia, and other aspects of life in Plains adorned the border of the blanket.
Surrounded by family, Carter held the hands of his children, Chip and Amy, who, in their own heartfelt tributes, praised their mother’s role in keeping the family together and expressed the everlasting love shared by their parents. Amy even shared a love letter written by her father to her mother 75 years ago, while he served in the Navy, ending with the poignant words, “goodbye darling. Until tomorrow, Jimmy.”
Renowned journalist Judy Woodruff also attended to bid farewell to Rosalynn and emphasized the impact she had as the first lady, stating, “Without Rosalynn Carter, I don’t believe there would have been a President Carter.”
The ceremonies for Rosalynn began with a wreath-laying at Georgia Southwestern State University’s Rosalynn Carter Health and Human Sciences Complex. A funeral service for family and friends will take place at Maranatha Baptist Church in Plains, their beloved hometown.
As we reflect on the life and legacy of Rosalynn Carter, we invite you to share your favorite memories of this remarkable woman. Join the conversation and help us honor her memory.
