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Rosalynn Carter, the wife of former U.S. President Jimmy Carter and one of the most influential First Ladies in American history, passed away on the 19th (local time) at her home in Plains, Georgia, at the age of 96.
According to The Washington Post (WP), the Carter Center announced in a statement that “Rosalynn Carter, a passionate advocate for mental health, caregiving, and women’s rights, passed away at 2:10 p.m. on the 19th at her home in Plains,” adding that “she left this world peacefully, surrounded by her family.”
Rosalynn Carter, who had a keen interest in social work related to mental health, was diagnosed with dementia last May and had been receiving hospice care since the 17th. Her husband, former President Carter (99), who is battling skin cancer, has also been under hospice care since February. In a statement released on the same day, former President Carter said, “Rosalynn was an equal partner in everything I achieved,” adding, “She always gave me wise guidance and encouragement when I needed it, and made me feel loved and supported throughout my life.”
From 1977 to 1981, during her husband’s presidency, Rosalynn Carter did not confine herself to the ceremonial role of the First Lady but actively participated in national affairs with her husband. She was the first First Lady to establish an office in the East Wing of the White House, attended cabinet meetings, and even visited Latin American countries as a presidential envoy. The WP reported that “her mission was to explain U.S. foreign policy to countries her husband felt were being ignored by the U.S.”
Rosalynn Carter also encouraged and supported President Carter in mediating the historic peace talks between Israeli Prime Minister Menachem Begin and Egyptian President Anwar al-Sadat at Camp David near Washington DC in September 1978. The Wall Street Journal (WSJ) reported that “President Carter respected his wife’s opinions and often asked her, ‘Rosalynn, what do you think?'”
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The late Rosalynn Carter served as the honorary chair of the President’s Commission on Mental Health from 1977 to 1978. In 1982, shortly after her husband’s presidency ended, she co-founded the Carter Foundation, focusing on issues such as mental health, caregiving, strengthening infant immunity, human rights, and conflict resolution. Rosalynn and Jimmy Carter were the longest-married couple in the history of U.S. presidential couples, celebrating their 77th wedding anniversary on July 7 this year.
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