PLAINS, Ga.— Rosalynn Carter’s final farewell will take place on Wednesday in the same small town where she was born and where she and her husband, former President Jimmy Carter, began their journey to the White House, spending four decades as global humanitarians thereafter.
The former first lady, who passed away on Nov. 19 at the age of 96, will be laid to rest in her hometown at Maranatha Baptist Church in Plains. The town holds sentimental value for the Carters, who often welcomed guests there when not traveling. The funeral marks the conclusion of three days of public tributes that commenced on Monday in nearby Americus and continued in Atlanta.
Rosalynn Carter’s burial will be in a plot she will share one day with her 99-year-old husband, the former president, who first met her when she was just a few days old. Grandson Jason Carter spoke at a memorial service in Atlanta, highlighting her roots in a small Southern town and her global impact as a figure whose efforts changed lives.
Despite her global influence, Jason Carter emphasized that his grandmother retained her small-town Southern identity, with a cooking repertoire centered on mayonnaise and pimento cheese.
The Atlanta tributes reflected the grand chapters of Rosalynn Carter’s life, but Wednesday’s proceedings in Plains will underscore the simpler constants in her life. The Maranatha Baptist Church seats fewer people than the Atlanta venue, and the church lacks a powerful organ. However, it holds sentimental value with a wooden cross crafted by Jimmy Carter in his workshop.
The invitation-only ceremony at Maranatha will be attended by church members who refer to the Carters as “Mr. Jimmy” and “Ms. Rosalynn.” Sons Jeff and Jack will speak about their mother, maintaining a more intimate atmosphere. Pastor Tony Snowden, a longtime friend and personal minister, will officiate and offer a eulogy, emphasizing that Rosalynn Carter’s work was an extension of her faith.
As the motorcade leaves Maranatha, it will pass through the town where Rosalynn Carter lived for over 80 of her 96 years. The route includes significant locations such as the old high school, Plains Baptist Church, the commercial district, and the Carter compound where she will be laid to rest, overlooking the home where the 39th American president still resides.
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