Former First Lady Rosalynn Carter dies at 96

   Former First Lady Rosalynn Carter, married for 77 years to former President Jimmy Carter, died Sunday at the age of 96 at the couple’s home in Plains.
   For decades, she championed the causes of mental health, caregiving, and women’s rights.
   “Rosalynn was my equal partner in everything I ever accomplished, said President Carter. “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.”
   Mrs. Carter had just entered hospice care on Friday. President Carter, 99, entered the hospice program last February.
   Mrs. Carter is survived by her children – Jack, Chip, Jeff, and Amy, and 11 grandchildren, including Jason Carter, the 2014 Democratic gubernatorial nominee.
   Tributes to a woman who served as first lady both in the White House and in the Governor’s Mansion in Georgia began pouring in shortly after the Carter Center announced news of her death.
   “A proud native Georgian, she had an indelible impact on our state and nation,” Gov. Brian Kemp wrote on social media. “Working alongside her husband, she championed mental health services and promoted the state she loved across the globe. … President Carter and his family are in our prayers as the world reflects on First Lady Carter’s storied life and the nation mourns her passing.”
   “Rosalynn’s  lifetime  of  work  and her dedication for public service changed the lives of many,” said U.S. Sen. Jon
Ossoff, D-Ga. “The state of Georgia and the United States are better places because of Rosalynn Carter. I join all Georgians and Americans in mourning her loss.”
   Memorial events and funeral ceremonies had not been finalized as of Sunday.
   In lieu of flowers, the Carter family requests mourners to consider a contribution to the Carter Center’s Mental Health Program or the Rosalynn Carter Institute for Caregivers.
   President Biden and first lady Jill Biden shared a joint statement mourning Carter’s death.
   “First Lady Rosalynn Carter walked her own path, inspiring a nation and the world along the way,” the Bidens said. “Throughout her incredible life as First Lady of Georgia and the First Lady of the United States, Rosalynn did so much to address many of society’s greatest needs. She was a champion for equal rights and opportunities for women and girls; an advocate for mental health and wellness for every person; and a supporter of the often unseen and uncompensated caregivers of our children, aging loved ones, and people with disabilities.”
   Former President Donald Trump took to social media to pay tribute to Rosalynn Carter. Trump remembered the former first lady as “a great humanitarian” and “a champion for mental health.”
   “Over a life spanning nearly a century, Rosalynn Carter earned the admiration and gratitude of our entire nation,” Trump said. “From her days as a U.S. Navy spouse, to the Georgia Governor’s Mansion, to her tenure as First Lady of the United States, and her later work at the Carter Center and volunteering with Habitat for Humanity, she leaves behind a legacy of extraordinary accomplishment and national service.”