Rosalynn Carter, who redefined the role of first lady as a trusted political partner to former President Jimmy Carter and established her own humanitarian legacy, will be laid to rest on Wednesday at her home in Georgia.
The funeral, held a little over a week after her passing at the age of 96, is scheduled at Maranatha Baptist Church in her hometown of Plains, where Jimmy Carter taught Sunday school for many years.
The private service will be attended by family members and invited friends. On late Wednesday morning, members of the Carter family traveled from Plains Inn to the church, but there was no sign of Jimmy Carter, who is currently at the family estate.
Rosalynn Carter’s final resting place will be the family residence in Plains, where Jimmy Carter also intends to be buried.
The public has the opportunity to bid farewell to the late first lady as the hearse carrying her casket departs the church and travels through downtown Plains later on Wednesday. People gathered in town before dawn to express their goodbyes, some carrying signs of gratitude.
Memorial events for Rosalynn Carter, who passed away on Nov. 19, took place on Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday. These included a wreath-laying ceremony at Georgia Southwestern State University, her alma mater, and her lying in repose at the Jimmy Carter Presidential Library, followed by a public tribute service at Emory University attended by the Bidens, former first ladies, and other political leaders.
Despite being in hospice care for nearly a year, Jimmy Carter made a rare public appearance to honor his wife of 77 years at Tuesday’s memorial service. Although he did not speak, a letter he wrote to Rosalynn Carter 75 years ago was tearfully read aloud by their daughter, Amy Carter.
The couple had previously expressed their wish to be buried together at their residence, near the edge of a pond on the property where they enjoyed fishing together.
“We’re going to be buried right there, on that little hill,” Jimmy Carter mentioned in an interview with The Washington Post in 2018.
Jimmy Carter was present with his wife when she peacefully passed away at home, according to the family.
“Rosalynn was my equal partner in everything I ever accomplished,” the former president said in a statement announcing her death. “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.”
The couple co-founded The Carter Center, a nonprofit dedicated to advancing peace and eradicating diseases worldwide, and collaborated with Habitat for Humanity. Additionally, Rosalynn Carter was a dedicated mental health advocate.
She is survived by her husband, their four children, 11 grandchildren, and 14 great-grandchildren.
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