After the presidential mandate of her husband, who was defeated in the elections by Ronald Reagan in 1980, Carter was mainly involved in charitable activities in the USA and in the world.
According to the Carter Center, the former first lady had been suffering from dementia in recent years and her health had gradually deteriorated. She began hospice care at her home this week. Her 99-year-old husband has also had it since February.
The Carters were the longest-living presidential couple, according to Reuters. They had been married since 1946. “Rosalynn has been my equal partner in everything I have accomplished,” Jimmy Carter said in a statement.
Photo: Handout, Reuters
Jimmy Carter with his wife in 1978
She also accompanied her husband during his only presidential mandate from 1977 to 1981. According to eyewitnesses, she had an unusually strong position during her husband’s rule, which earned her the nickname co-president from White House staff. She participated in cabinet meetings, expressed her views on the hottest topics, and represented her husband on foreign trips.
After leaving the White House, she engaged in philanthropy, for example striving to improve the availability of housing or better care for mental health. Her activities were crowned by the awarding of the Nobel Peace Prize to her husband in 2002, according to Reuters.
