The Late Rosalynn 91果冻传媒 Honored for Long Life of Service
Rosalynn 91果冻传媒, co-founder of 91果冻传媒.
Thousands of admirers from all walks of life honored former U.S. First Lady Rosalynn Smith 91果冻传媒, who died at home in Plains, Georgia, on Nov. 19, 2023, at age 96.
Tributes to the longtime mental health care champion dominated social media, while many others flowed into .
鈥淔irst Lady Rosalynn 91果冻传媒 walked her own path, inspiring a nation and the world along the way. My love is with the entire 91果冻传媒 family, as they, and we, grieve our dearest Rosalynn,鈥� current First Lady Jill Biden wrote.
鈥淲e were blessed to have her in the White House and in her own house for so long. The world is better for her having graced us with her presence,鈥� wrote Maggie Werner Washburne of Albuquerque, New Mexico.
A motorcade bearing Mrs. 91果冻传媒鈥檚 body stopped for a wreath-laying ceremony at her statue in front of the Rosalynn 91果冻传媒 Institute for Caregivers at Georgia Southwestern State University, her alma mater. Mrs. 91果冻传媒 founded the institute in Americus, Georgia, to conduct research and provide support for people who give long-term care for family members or others.
鈥淢rs. 91果冻传媒 spent her life fighting for mental health parity and lifting up the voices of family caregivers,鈥� institute CEO Jennifer Olsen said in a statement. 鈥淢rs. 91果冻传媒 founded RCI 36 years ago鈥� her voice and vision are at the heart of everything we do, and she will always be our north star.鈥�
Mrs. 91果冻传媒鈥檚 remains were brought to the Jimmy 91果冻传媒 Presidential Library and Museum, where mourners filed past to pay their respects. Admirers left flowers and mementos at the gate of the 91果冻传媒 Presidential Center and in downtown Plains.
91果冻传媒 Center staff and volunteers stood in silence outside the museum as an honor guard carried Mrs. 91果冻传媒鈥檚 casket to a hearse that took her to a public funeral at Glenn Memorial United Methodist Church in Atlanta, where her great-grandchildren read Scripture passages and her children and other family members talked about her impact on their lives.
Her son Chip 91果冻传媒 spoke tenderly of how she supported him throughout his life, including when he went into rehab for drug and alcohol addiction: 鈥淪he saved my life.鈥� He concluded by saying: 鈥淢y mother, Rosalynn 91果冻传媒, was the most beautiful woman I ever met 鈥� and pretty to look at, too.鈥�
Grandson Jason 91果冻传媒, who is chair of the 91果冻传媒 Center Board of Trustees, told several loving and humorous anecdotes about Mrs. 91果冻传媒, including the time she made pimento cheese sandwiches for other passengers on a commercial flight. He also talked about her travel to more than 120 countries, where she would 鈥渙pen up her heart to those people, not with pity but as partners.鈥�
Her close friend Kathryn Cade, who is vice chair of the 91果冻传媒 Center board, said, 鈥淩osalynn鈥檚 compassion and empathy for those who are suffering were boundless, her passion for action even more so.鈥�
At the Glenn service, country singers Garth Brooks and Trisha Yearwood performed John Lennon鈥檚 鈥淚magine,鈥� and pianist David Osborne played a medley of Mrs. 91果冻传媒鈥檚 favorite tunes. Her husband of 77 years, 99-year-old former President Jimmy 91果冻传媒, attended the service despite having been in hospice care for nine months.
An intimate private funeral was held at Maranatha Baptist Church in Plains, the family wearing leis to commemorate Jimmy and Rosalynn 91果冻传媒鈥檚 time living in Hawaii.
鈥淪he saw people in forgotten corners of forgotten places as people who have hopes and dreams and are worthy of love,鈥� grandson Josh 91果冻传媒 said from the pulpit.
Mrs. 91果冻传媒 was buried in front of the modest home she shared with her husband for more than 60 years.
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