Rosalynn Carter, the former first lady of the United States, passed away on Sunday at 96. President Jimmy Carter referred to his wife as "an extension of myself" because of her significant influence in his administration and her unwavering advocacy for mental health.
According to a statement issued by the Carter Center, a nonprofit organization the couple founded, Rosalynn Carter passed away with her family by her side. She had recently entered hospice care at home in Plains, Georgia.
Democratic presidential candidate Jimmy Carter held office from 1977 to 1981. He married his wife in 1946 when she was 18, and he was 21, making them the longest-married presidential couple in American history. He also had more post-White House years than any other president after his one term as president ended, and she was crucial to those years, working with organizations like the Carter Center and Habitat for Humanity.
In May, her family revealed that although she had dementia, she was still living at home. Jimmy Carter, 99, chose in February to forego further medical intervention, and as a result, he is currently receiving hospice care.
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"Rosalynn was my equal partner in everything I ever accomplished," the former president said. "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."
Before moving to Washington in 1977, she was considered modest and reserved but later became a powerful orator, activist, and campaigner. Her enduring passion for the mentally ill extended well beyond her time in the White House; it was not a personal connection but stemmed from a deep conviction that advocacy was necessary.
"The best thing I ever did was marry Rosalynn," Carter told the C-SPAN cable TV channel in 2015. "That's the pinnacle of my life."
Rosalynn wasn't well-known outside of Georgia, where her husband was a peanut farmer before becoming governor until he was elected president in 1976. Ronald Reagan, a Republican and former governor of California, defeated him in his 1980 reelection campaign.
The president referred to her as "an extension of myself" and "my closest adviser," demonstrating the team dynamic between the Carters in Washington. Her invitations to observe cabinet meetings and talks about political strategy came frequently. Carter admitted that, except top-secret information, he shared almost everything with his wife in a 1978 interview with magazine editors.
"I think she understands the consciousness of the American people and their attitudes perhaps better than do I," he stated.
"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.
Former Presidents Bill Clinton, George W. Bush, Barack Obama, and Donald Trump also lauded her.
