Rosalynn Carter, the former first lady and global humanitarian, was honored as a humble and compassionate matriarch in a rare gathering of all living US first ladies and multiple presidents. The tribute service was held at Glenn Memorial Church in Atlanta, Georgia, where her 99-year-old husband Jimmy Carter, who is in home hospice care, attended along with their four children, 15 grandchildren, and several great-grandchildren. The service reflected Carter’s dual identities as a global figure and a family matriarch, with speakers sharing stories about her love, faith, and dedication to helping others.
Speakers at the service included Carter’s sons, Chip and Jeff, who praised their mother’s selflessness and kindness. Kathryn Cade, a former White House aide, recalled Carter’s work on projects such as The Carter Centre, and Judy Woodruff, a journalist, reminisced about Carter’s key roles in the administration, including her work on mental health care and her role in historic peace accords between Egypt and Israel. Amy Carter, the former first daughter, read a love note her father wrote to her mother 75 years before, highlighting the couple’s enduring partnership and love story.
Rosalynn Carter (Via Rosalynn Carter/Twitter)
Jimmy Carter, who struggled to contain his grief, was seated in a wheelchair, his face obscured by a blanket featuring a picture of his wife. Despite being 10 months into hospice care, he was determined to attend the service, despite it being a “hard” trip for him. The Carters’ long marriage, which began in 1946, made them the longest-married presidential couple in US history.
The service featured performances by country music stars Garth Brooks and Trisha Yearwood, who sang John Lennon’s “Imagine.” Carter’s funeral is set to take place on Wednesday in Plains, Georgia, with an invitation-only service at Maranatha Baptist Church, where the couple has been members since returning to Georgia after Jimmy Carter’s presidency. She will be buried in a private graveside service, to be shared with her husband on a plot visible from the front porch of their home.
The service was a testament to Carter’s life, which was marked by her love, faith, and dedication to helping others. Through her stories, loved ones remembered her as a kind, compassionate, and humble person who made a lasting impact on her family, country, and the world.
