Rosalynn Carter, US first lady known as ‘Steel Magnolia', dies at 96
US First Lady Rosalynn Carter, whom President Jimmy Carter called "an extension of myself" primarily due to her leading role in his tenure even as she actively promoted the cause of mental health, died on Sunday at age 96, the Carter Center said, as per Reuters. Her willpower and outwardly shy demeanor, and a soft Southern accent, inspired Washington reporters to call her “the Steel Magnolia." According to a statement from the Carter Center, a nonprofit organization founded by the Carters, Rosalynn Carter, who recently entered hospice care at home in Plains, Georgia, died with her family by her side. Democrat Jimmy Carter was president from 1977 to 1981.
He and his wife were the longest-married U.S. presidential couple, having married in 1946 when he was 21 and she was 18. While he served one term as president, he also had more post-White House years than any president before, during which she played an integral role, including as part of the Carter Center and Habitat for Humanity.
In May, her family disclosed that she had dementia but continued to live at home. As of February, Jimmy Carter, 99, has opted for hospice care after declining additional medical treatment. "Rosalynn was my equal partner in everything I ever accomplished," the former president said in the statement.
"She gave me wise guidance and encouragement when I needed it. As long as Rosalynn was in the world, I always knew somebody loved and supported me." In 1977, she came to Washington and was seen as unassuming and quiet before becoming an eloquent speaker, activist, and campaigner. The mentally ill were her abiding passion, which continued long after her tenure in the White House, not out of any personal connection but because she strongly believed
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