A gathering of national dignitaries, including former Presidents Jimmy Carter and Bill Clinton, current President Joe Biden, Vice President Kamala Harris, and all five living first ladies, commemorated the life of former First Lady Rosalynn Carter at a memorial service in Atlanta. The esteemed attendees included Jill Biden, Melania Trump, Michelle Obama, Laura Bush, and Hillary Clinton. The service, held at the Glenn Memorial United Methodist Church on Emory University’s campus, was a tribute to Rosalynn Carter’s legacy.
Based on information from an AP News, Jimmy Carter, the oldest living former president, was escorted into the church in a wheelchair, accompanied by a blanket over his legs. The first ladies present were attired in solemn shades of dark blue, black, and gray, with Melania Trump notably in a gray coat. Notably absent from the event were former Presidents Donald Trump and Barack Obama.
The service featured poignant eulogies from former PBS NewsHour anchor Judy Woodruff, Rosalynn and Jimmy Carter’s daughter Amy, and their grandson Jason Carter. Jason Carter humorously acknowledged the presence of the former first ladies and their spouses, eliciting laughter from the attendees.
This event marked the first time since 2018 that all living first ladies were present together, previously seen at the funeral of former President George H.W. Bush. Similarly, a 2007 gathering for former President Gerald Ford’s funeral brought together the then-living presidents and first ladies.
Rosalynn Carter, who passed away at the age of 96 after a battle with dementia, was a revered figure in American politics and philanthropy. Her husband, Jimmy Carter, now in hospice care, continues to be a respected elder statesman.
Following the Atlanta memorial, a private funeral service for Rosalynn Carter is scheduled at Maranatha Baptist Church in Plains, Georgia, their home church. She will be laid to rest at the Carter family residence, with Jimmy Carter planning to be buried alongside her.