Former First Lady Rosalynn Carter passed away peacefully Sunday afternoon at her home in Plains, Georgia, with her family by side, the Carter Center has announced. She was 96 years old. She started receiving hospice care on Friday.
She is survived by her husband, former president Jimmy Carter, to whom she was married for 77 years; four children; 11 grandchlidren; and 14 great-grandchildren.
"Rosalynn was my equal partner in everything I ever accomplished,” former President Carter said in a statement. "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."
“Besides being a loving mother and extraordinary First Lady, my mother was a great humanitarian in her own right,” her son, Chip Carter, said in a statement. “Her life of service and compassion was an example for all Americans. She will be sorely missed not only by our family but by the many people who have better mental health care and access to resources for caregiving today.”
Earlier this year, former President Carter started receiving hospice care at their home.
“President Jimmy Carter today decided to spend his remaining time at home with his family and receive hospice care instead of additional medical intervention,” the Carter Center announced in February. “He has the full support of his family and his medical team. The Carter family asks for privacy during this time and is grateful for the concern shown by his many admirers.”
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