Rosalyn Carter, in the last of the 3-day tribute will receive her final farewells on Wednesday. Carter, who passed away at 96 on November 19, will be laid to rest in the small town where she was born. This town also played a significant role as a home for her and her husband, former President Jimmy Carter, during their journey to the White House and their subsequent four decades of humanitarian work worldwide. The funeral will take place in Maranatha Baptist Church in Plains, the couple’s hometown, where they often hosted guests when they were not traveling.
Carter will be laid to rest in a burial plot next to her husband, the 99-year-old former president. They first met when she was just a newborn, a few days after his mother brought her into the world. They’ve been married for 77 years.
Jimmy Carter went to the special event honoring his late wife of 77 years, traveling from his hospice care at home to the Glenn Memorial church in Atlanta. This is a rare occasion for the former president, who has been receiving home hospice care for the past 10 months.
Remembering Rosalyn Carter’s advocacy for mental health
Jason, who is Rosalynn’s grandson, talked about his grandmother’s dedication to improving mental health care. During the tribute, he mentioned, “Her work for mental health was a 50-year journey that is just as impressive as any other and has been talked about already.”
Jason went on to say that in 1970, Rosalynn made the decision to address the anxiety and stigma linked to mental illness. He added, “That initiative transformed lives and it rescued lives, including in my own family,” referring to the positive impact of Rosalynn’s advocacy.
Her son James also spoke about how supportive his mother was during his rehab treatment for substance abuse.
When she was the first lady while her husband was president, she played a significant role in addressing mental illness openly. One notable effort was the President’s Commission on Mental Health. This push is remembered by historians as the first of its kind, and she served as the honorary chairwoman during her husband’s time in office.
She traveled across the country to talk to experts and groups dealing with mental illnesses. She urged Congress to address the challenges she learned about during her travels. Even though the policies shifted during the administration of former President Ronald Reagan, her advocacy was groundbreaking and unlike anything seen before, according to Olsen.
She also worked to convince Congress to pass a groundbreaking law that made health insurers provide access to mental health care.
Hillary Clinton, Laura Bush, Michelle Obama, and Melania Trump made their way to the tribute event on Tuesday. Tributes to Rosalynn were given by journalist Judy Woodruff, longtime friend Kathryn Cade, and Rosalynn’s children and grandchildren. Donald Trump , Barack Obama and George Bush did not attend the tribute service.
