Final Farewell as Rosalynn Carter Lies in Repose in Atlanta on Monday
Former first lady Rosalynn Carter's motorcade will embark on its final journey from Plains, Georgia to Atlanta on Monday, allowing the public to pay their respects as she lies in repose Ceremonies are scheduled for Monday, while a tribute service will take place on Tuesday
The motorcade for former first lady Rosalynn Carter will begin its final journey on Monday morning, traveling from her hometown of Plains, Georgia to Atlanta. There, she will lie in repose, allowing members of the public to pay their respects and say their final goodbyes.
Rosalynn Carter passed away peacefully in her Plains home on November 19 at the age of 96, just two days after the Carter Center announced she was entering hospice care at home. Known for her dedication to mental health reform and the fight to destigmatize mental illness, Carter spent much of her life devoted to humanitarian efforts alongside her husband, former US President Jimmy Carter, with whom she spent over 77 years of marriage. In May, the Carter Center disclosed that Rosalynn Carter had dementia.
After leaving the White House in 1981, the couple returned home to Plains, about 120 miles south of Atlanta, and have been living there since. In February, Jimmy Carter, now 99, began receiving home hospice care after several hospital stays.
Over the past week, people from across the state and country have traveled to Plains to celebrate Rosalynn Carter's life and legacy as the small town of several hundred residents prepares to bid her farewell.
"Last week, Georgia resident Andy Huggins told CNN, "She gave so much back to the community, to our world. I just felt the need to come through here one more time, just being in the presence here of her spirit. She was a beautiful person."
Former President Jimmy Carter and his wife Rosalynn arrived for a ribbon-cutting ceremony for a solar panel project on their farmland in their hometown of Plains, in this February 8, 2017 file photo.
Ceremonies planned for Monday
The motorcade for Rosalynn Carter is set to depart from downtown Plains at 10 a.m. on Monday and will pass through the neighboring city of Americus. A brief stop will be made at a medical center, where "former members of her U.S. Secret Service Protection detail will serve as honorary pallbearers during a brief departure ceremony," as stated by the Carter Center, the nonprofit established by the Carters.
The motorcade will pause for a wreath-laying ceremony at Georgia Southwestern State University, where Rosalynn Carter established the Rosalynn Carter Institute for Caregivers in 1987. The organization continues to provide support and advocacy for millions of Americans who provide unpaid care for their loved ones, as stated by the university. The president of the university and the CEO of the institute will lay two wreaths at the base of a bronze statue of Rosalynn Carter, located in the garden in front of two school buildings named in her honor.
On Monday, November 20, 2023, a sculpture of Rosalynn Carter was unveiled in front of the Health and Human Sciences Complex at Georgia Southwestern State University in Americus.
Mike Stewart/AP
The statue depicts the former first lady sitting on a bench, holding her book, "First Lady from Plains."
Last week, the school expressed its remembrance of her extraordinary achievements and commitment to service, and pledged to honor her legacy of advocacy. "We will forever cherish her impact on this university." The Carter Center announced that the public will have the opportunity to witness the short ceremony and observe the motorcade along its route.
Tribute service to be held Tuesday
Final Tribute and Public Viewing for Late President at Jimmy Carter Presidential Library in Atlanta
A private tribute service is planned for Tuesday at Glenn Memorial United Methodist Church, located on the Emory University campus. President Joe Biden and first lady Jill Biden have been invited to attend, along with Vice President Kamala Harris and the second gentleman. Additionally, a private funeral service for family and close friends will be held on Wednesday morning at Maranatha Baptist Church in Plains.
Former first lady Rosalynn Carter poses for a portrait in New York in 2011.
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Rosalynn and Jimmy Carter were married on July 7, 1946. Both were born and raised in Plains, Georgia.
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Jimmy Carter, then a Georgia state senator, hugs his wife at his campaign headquarters in Atlanta in 1966.
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Rosalynn works the phones for her husband's presidential campaign in May 1976.
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The president holds his grandson Jason as he and Rosalynn watch their daughter, Amy, in July 1976. The Carters also have three sons: Jeff, Chip and Jack. Jason is Jack's son.
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The Carters embrace after receiving news that Jimmy had won the presidential election in November 1976.
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Rosalynn is interviewed by Barbara Walters for a TV special that aired in December 1976.
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Walking down Pennsylvania Avenue after the inauguration in January 1977, the Carters held Amy's hand. It marked the first time in history that a president had not traveled by carriage or automobile to celebrate taking the oath of office at the White House.
The Carters dance during one of the inaugural balls in January 1977.
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Rosalynn greets children during a trip to Brazil in June 1977.
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In 1978, Rosalynn, as honorary chairwoman of the President's Commission on Mental Health, presented the commission's recommendations for extensive reforms to mental health policy and programs to her husband. This report ultimately led to the Mental Health Systems Act of 1980. Throughout her life, Rosalynn has been a strong advocate for mental health.
Jimmy Carter Library
The Carters relax on a riverboat in Dubuque, Iowa, in August 1979.
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Rosalynn travels on a plane as part of a campaign trip in October 1979. Her husband was up for reelection.
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In January 1980, Rosalynn was busy campaigning for her husband in Waterloo, Iowa. Standing behind her were Joan Mondale, the wife of Vice President Walter Mondale; Muriel Humphrey, former US senator and wife of the late Vice President Hubert Humphrey; and Ruth Carter Stapleton, Jimmy Carter's youngest sister. This image is courtesy of the Bettmann Archive/Getty Images.
The Harlem Globetrotters help Rosalynn spin a basketball on her finger in March 1980.
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The Carter ride a bicycle built for two in Plains, Georgia, in December 1980. Jimmy lost to Ronald Reagan in the 1980 presidential election.
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Rosalynn published her book "First Lady From Plains" in 1984.
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The Carters were photographed at a book signing event in San Francisco in 1987, where they were promoting their book "Everything to Gain: Making the Most of the Rest of Your Life." The event was captured by Bromberger Hoover/Getty Images.
Rosalynn appears on "The Tonight Show with Jay Leno" in 1998.
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In 1999, Rosalynn receives a kiss from her husband after they received the Presidential Medals of Freedom. The Carters were honored for their continued work since leaving the White House in 1980. (Photo credit: Tami Chappell/Reuters)
The Carters wave to delegates during the Democratic National Convention in 2004.
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Rosalynn makes phone calls to voters at the campaign headquarters of her son Jack. who was running for a US Senate seat in 2006.
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The Carters pose for a portrait during the Toronto International Film Festival in 2007.
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Rosalynn visits a hospital in Ashkelon, Israel, in 2008.
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The Carters arrive for Barack Obama's inauguration in January 2009.
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The Carters kiss in October 2009 as Rosalynn introduces her husband at the ceremony for the redesigned Carter Presidential Library in Atlanta.
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In 2010, the Carters joined about 300 volunteers for a Habitat for Humanity project working on houses in Baltimore and Annapolis, Maryland.
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Rosalynn addressed senators on Capitol Hill during the Special Committee on Aging hearing in 2011, advocating for the reauthorization of the Older Americans Act to ensure that older Americans have access to essential caregiving services. (Image: Saul Loeb/AFP/Getty)
The Carters are joined by their 4-year-old grandson Errol at Jimmy's 90th birthday celebration in Americus, Georgia, in 2014.
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From left, Rosalynn, Caroline Kennedy and Hillary Clinton follow the casket of former first lady Nancy Reagan during her funeral in 2016.
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The Carters walk home together after having dinner at a friend's home in Plains in 2018.
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The Carters are seen on the "kiss cam" during an NBA basketball game in Atlanta in 2019.
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In April 2021, President Joe Biden and first lady Jill Biden visited the Carters at their home in Plains. A photo of the meeting caused a stir on social media due to the apparent size difference between the two couples, with many speculating that it was the result of a wide-angle lens. The chief official White House photographer, Adam Schultz, declined to provide an explanation when contacted by The New York Times.
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The Carters relax at their home in Plains in June 2021. In 2019, they became the longest-married presidential couple in history.
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In September 2023, the Carters made an appearance at the Peanut Festival Parade in Plains, Georgia. This marked the first public appearance of the former first lady since being diagnosed with dementia in May.
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In pictures: Former first lady Rosalynn Carter
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"Rosalynn Carter's profound concern for people all over the world and her unwavering dedication to their well-being had a lasting impact on countless lives. Since her passing, we have been deeply moved by the outpouring of support from thousands of individuals," her family conveyed in a recent statement. "We are grateful to all who have joined us in celebrating the remarkable woman she was, not only to us, but to humanity as a whole."
In place of sending flowers, the Carter Center suggests making contributions to the Carter Center Mental Health Program or the Rosalynn Carter Institute for Caregivers. Furthermore, individuals are encouraged to share their memories of the former first lady on a dedicated website created in her honor.
CNNs Jaide Timm-Garcia and Eva McKend contributed to this report.Â
