Rosalynn Carter Obituary: In Loving Memory of American Writer

Rosalynn Smith was born on August 18, 1927, in Plains, Georgia. She was the oldest of four children. Her parents were Wilburn Edgar Smith, who worked as an auto mechanic, bus driver, and farmer, and Frances Allethea “Allie” Murray Smith, who was a teacher, dressmaker and postal worker.

Rosalynn had two brothers, William Jerrold “Jerry” Smith and Murray Lee Smith and a sister named Lillian Allethea (Smith) Wall. Rosalynn’s family struggled financially, but she didn’t realize it because many families in her community faced similar challenges.

Rosalynn played with boys since there were no girls her age on her street. She had a strong interest in buildings and airplanes and dreamed of becoming an architect. When Rosalynn was thirteen, her father passed away from leukemia, marking the end of her childhood.

After his death, she helped her mother raise her younger siblings and contributed to the family’s dressmaking business to make ends meet. Rosalynn credited her mother with teaching her independence and the importance of doing what needs to be done.

Despite financial difficulties, Rosalynn worked hard in high school to fulfill her father’s dream of seeing her go to college. She graduated as the second-highest-ranking student from Plains High School. Following high school, she attended Georgia Southwestern College and graduated in 1946.

How Did Rosalynn Carter Support Her Husband?

Throughout many years of helping people, she was well-known for supporting women’s rights and mental health. She grew up in Plains, Georgia and did really well in high school becoming the top student. After that, she went to Georgia Southwestern College and finished in 1946.

She liked her husband from the start, especially when she saw a picture of him in his U.S. Naval Academy uniform. They got married in 1946. When her husband became the governor of Georgia in 1970, she helped him and when she was the first lady of the state, she focused on mental health.

She supported her husband when he ran for president in 1976 and won, beating the current president, Gerald Ford. During her husband’s time as president, she was active in politics but didn’t want to be a typical first lady.

She attended meetings to stay informed and represented her husband in talks with leaders from different countries. Even after they left the White House in 1981, she kept working for mental health and other important causes.

She wrote books and with her husband helped a nonprofit organization called “Habitat for Humanity”. She lived a long life, being the second-longest-lived first lady and she was the first lady who was married the longest. In 1999, both she and her husband received the Presidential Medal of Freedom.