Rosalynn Carter

Rosalynn Carter (born Eleanor Rosalynn Smith) was the wife of former President Jimmy Carter and the First Lady of the United States from 1977 to 1981. Rosalynn was raised in Plains, Georgia, and graduated from Georgia Southwestern College in Americus, Georgia, in 1946 with a degree in business.

After marrying Jimmy in 1946, Rosalynn began her public service career during his time as Georgia’s governor, becoming involved in state and local mental health initiatives. When Jimmy was elected the 39th President of the United States in 1976, she redefined the role of First Lady by attending and serving as an active advisor.

As First Lady, she focused on initiatives surrounding mental health, aging and caregiving. She served as honorary chair of the President’s Commission on Mental Health and continued her advocacy work after leaving Washington through the Carter Center, which she co-founded in 1982. She received several humanitarian and public service awards for her contributions to mental health and caregiving.

Rosalynn shared four children with Jimmy, John William “Jack” Carter (born in 1947), James Earl “Chip” Carter III (born in 1950), Donnel Jeffrey “Jeff” Carter (born in 1952) and Amy Carter (born in 1967).

She died on November 19, 2023 at the age of 96.