Jimmy Carter and all living former first ladies to attend Rosalynn Carter’s memorial service
By Eva McKend, Nick Valencia and Devon M. Sayers, CNN
(CNN) — Former President Jimmy Carter is expected to attend the Tuesday memorial service for his late wife, Rosalynn Carter, in Atlanta, his grandson told CNN – a tribute that will also be attended by all of the living former first ladies.
The former president is planning to travel to Atlanta for the service at Glenn Memorial United Methodist Church on Emory University’ campus, Carter’s grandson Jason Carter told CNN.
First lady Jill Biden will be joined by former first ladies Hillary Clinton, Laura Bush, Michelle Obama and Melania Trump in attending the service. President Joe Biden, Vice President Kamala Harris and second gentleman Doug Emhoff are also expected to be present, as is former President Bill Clinton.
It is common for sitting and former first ladies to attend the funerals of former first ladies. Trump’s attendance, however, marks a rare public appearance for the former first lady, who has largely avoided the public eye since leaving Washington in January 2021, even as her husband pursues a return to the White House. Former President Donald Trump is not expected to attend the service.
Rosalynn Carter died peacefully at her Plains, Georgia, home on November 19 at the age of 96, two days after the Carter Center announced she was entering hospice care at home. Jimmy Carter, who is 99, began receiving home hospice care in February, after a series of hospital stays.
A tireless advocate of mental health reform and the destigmatization of mental illness, Rosalynn Carter spent most of her life dedicated to humanitarian efforts, always at the side of her husband of more than 77 years. In May, the Carter Center said she had dementia.
The former first lady’s motorcade began one of its final journeys Monday morning, traveling from Plains to Atlanta. A repose service was held Monday afternoon at the Jimmy Carter Presidential Library in Atlanta, with members of the public invited to pay their respects from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m., the Carter Center said.
A private funeral service for family and invited friends is set to take place Wednesday morning at the couple’s beloved Maranatha Baptist Church in Plains.
This headline and story have been updated with additional developments.
CNN’s Christina Maxouris and Kristen Holmes contributed to this report.
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