Rest in peace
As some of you may have just heard, Rosalynn Carter passed away Sunday at the age of 96. Described by her husband as an “equal partner” in all of his accomplishments her shy demeanor and soft Southern accent hid her iron will to get stuff done.
Rosalynn chose to champion mental health and elder care, and as chairwoman as the President’s Commission on Mental Health became the first First Lady since Eleanor Roosevelt to speak to a Congressional panel. She asked her husband why people came to her with their problems and he told her that that she was the closet person they could talk to that could possibly help them.
While she saw the 1980 defeat as a setback, Rosalynn recovered and “slowly rediscovered the satisfaction of a life we had left long before.” Both she and her husband continued to work on issues important to them, especially when it came to mental health.
I think Rosalynn is close to if not beating Mrs. Clinton, Mrs. Obama, or Dr. Biden as the best First Ladies. All three of them worked hard to support important causes, but I think Mrs. Carter is a cut above. Rest in peace, Mrs. Carter.
