News Release

National Park Service Mourns the Passing of First Lady Rosalynn Carter

First lady Rosalynn Carter in 1977

Library of Congress

News Release Date: November 19, 2023 Plains, Ga. – The staff of Jimmy Carter National Historical Park mourn the passing of Rosalynn Carter, who, as wife of President Jimmy Carter, was the 39th first lady of the United States and a devoted supporter of the park that bears his name.

Mrs. Carter will be buried in the family plot, located at the Carter home, now part of Jimmy Carter National Historical Park. Some areas of Jimmy Carter National Historical Park may be closed in the days leading up to the burial. Updates and a full schedule of events celebrating the life of First Lady Rosalynn Carter will be posted on the National Park Service website at www.nps.gov/jica and on the park’s social media platforms (@JimmyCarterNPS). Congress authorized the national park in 1987 to interpret President Carter’s life and presidency in relation to Plains, Georgia, and to preserve the resources associated with that story. The park includes President Carter's boyhood farm and home, the high school that President and Mrs. Carter attended, their current residence (closed to the public), and the railroad depot that served as the headquarters for his presidential campaign. 

“Rosalynn Carter was a staunch supporter of national parks, both as first lady and as a private citizen. Here in Plains, she has long been an active participant at the park that bears her husband’s name, regularly attending events and forums and working with National Park Service staff in the development and growth of the park. I and the entire staff of Jimmy Carter National Historical Park are deeply saddened by Mrs. Carter’s passing, but we celebrate her life and legacy and will continue to inspire and educate present and future generations by telling the stories of her life and impact on the global community,” said Jimmy Carter National Historical Park Superintendent Jill Stuckey, a longtime friend of President and Mrs. Carter. 

Mrs. Carter’s participation in countless events at the park throughout the years — from public programs and forums, to welcoming The Carter Center Ambassadors Circle and Legacy Circle, greeting SAM Shortline excursion riders and many other events — were examples of her desire to maintain the treasured traditions that she and President Carter established for local residents and the visiting public. She played an active role in park events such as the Presidents’ Day observance and the town’s fall peanut festival, where she handed out certificates to local school children. Over the years, countless visitors were greeted by President and Mrs. Carter at the Plains High School Visitor Center or elsewhere at Jimmy Carter National Historical Park, and she took an active role in the development of the exhibits in the Plains High School that were unveiled in 2020.
 

NPS