RIP, Rosalynn Carter

Very sad news today. Rosalyn Carter, the former First Lady and wife of President Jimmy Carter, has died. She was 96 years old.

Rosalyn was married to Jimmy for well over three-quarters of a century. It reads almost like a storybook romance. They met in their hometown of Plains, and stuck together through everything that followed. That included Jimmy's stint in the Navy, where he was away for long periods of time on a nuclear submarine. They remained together through the years of peanut farming, before Jimmy entered politics, eventually becoming Governor of Georgia. In 1976, Jimmy Carter launched a surprisingly successful campaign for the White House, and was elected to become the country's 39th President of the United States. Rosalyn became the First Lady. They also had four children together.

Since leaving the White House, the Carters worked together on all sorts of charities, probably most famously building houses for disadvantaged people with Habitat For Humanity. She also was active in promoting the Equal Rights Amendment (ERA) and advocating for mental health. I actually was present at one of her lectures and subsequent book signings, when she was promoting "Within Our Reach: Ending the Mental Health Crisis" (with Susan K. Golant and Kathryn E. Cade), back in 2010. She authored five books overall.

Earlier this year, Jimmy Carter had gone into hospice care in the home that he shared with Rosalyn in their hometown of Plains, Georgia. Just days ago, Rosalyn herself entered into hospice care. 

Rest in Peace, Rosalyn. You will be missed.

Former US first lady Rosalynn Carter dies at 96 By Will Dunham November 19, 2023:

https://www.reuters.com/world/us/former-us-first-lady-rosalynn-carter-dies-96-2023-11-19/