Georgia’s Former First Lady Rosalynn Carter to be honoured on a three day memorial service

By Pennie Spruill Last updated Nov 28, 2023

This week in Georgia, there will be three days of events to honour Rosalynn Carter, who died on November 19 at the age of 96.

Rosalynn Carter, who was first lady, will be buried in Georgia on Wednesday. She passed away last week. She was 96 years old.

HOST A MARTÍNEZ:

Carter was Jimmy’s top advisor from the time he was a Georgia state senator until he became governor and then president. She was also one of the most well-known supporters of mental health care in the country. Over the next three days, there will be both public and private memorials to honour her life and work.

It’s Stephen Fowler from Georgia Public Broadcasting who is here to tell us more about this. Hey, Stephen.

ST. MARTIN: So could you start by telling us about some of the places this week where Rosalynn Carter will be revered? I know that they stand for important places and issues in her life. I don’t know. First, let’s talk about the wreath-laying at her old school.

FOWLER: Well, Carter went to Georgia Southwestern State University and stayed involved with the school her whole life. You can see how she has changed the school. You can find a figure of Rosalynn Carter made from Georgia granite, as well as the Rosalynn Carter Health and Human Sciences Complex and the Rosalynn Carter Institute for Carers. From there, she will rest tonight at the Carter Centre in Atlanta, which she and her husband Jimmy started in 1982 to work on problems like democracy, health care, and world peace.

ST. MARTIN: It’s been over 40 years since the Carters left the White House. However, I believe that even those who don’t remember their time there will remember everything they did in public, even when they were older. How does that show up in this week’s memorials?

ST. MARTIN: The funeral is set for Wednesday in Plains, Georgia. Could you tell us more about how she is connected to the town?

WHAT FOWLER: Plains is where Rosalynn grew up, where she raised a family, and where she and Jimmy went back to after Jimmy lost the election. The Maranatha Baptist Church will be the place of worship. She taught Sunday school there and helped out with the church’s food service for many years. There will only be family and friends at the service, but a lot of people are going to queue the town to pay their respects. They will bury her on the grounds of their house on Wednesday. They’ve lived in this house since 1961.

WHAT FOWLER: A lot of people have shown their love and support for a strong person, not just by going to Plains and paying their respects at the Carter Centre. On the campaign trail, Rosalynn Carter was seen as just as good as Jimmy Carter, especially in the White House. She was known as the “Steel Magnolia” and had her own campaign routine while he was running for office. I think there’s been a lot of talk about how much the Carters love each other. Michel, they were married for 77 years. This week has shown that someone like Rosalynn Carter can exist beyond today’s bitter partisanship. They had a relationship that many people want to have with their partner, even though political figures and their wives can be divisive.