ATLANTA — On Monday, the nation remembered the life and legacy of former First Lady Rosalynn Carter.
Channel 2 Action News crews were fanned out across the state for Carter’s escort to Atlanta and memorial service at the Carter Center.
The former First Lady lay in repose inside the Carter Presidential Library on Monday. The public will be allowed to pay their respects starting at 6 p.m. until 10 p.m.
On Tuesday, a tribute service will be held at Emory University’s Glenn Memorial Church. On Wednesday, her funeral will be held at Maranatha Baptist Church in Plains. Afterward, she will be buried at the Carter family home.
Channel 2′s Richard Elliot spoke to friends and colleagues, who said that while Carter would have appreciated the outpouring of love, she probably would have considered it a bit of a fuss.
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Few people knew Carter like Kathy Cade, the Vice Chair of the Carter Center. She worked closely with the former First Lady almost every day.
“She would say, ‘No, I don’t really deserve all this others deserve it,’ because she was an incredibly humble and modest person.
Carter was a tireless advocate for those in need. She made it her goal, even back in 1977, to fight to remove the stigma of mental illness.
After she and former President Carter left the White House in 1981, she founded the Carter Center.
Carter Center CEO Paige Alexander said Mrs. Carter was a tireless worker at the center and around the world.
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“They were colleagues of ours,” Alexander said. “They would walk through the walls, hold hands. Mrs. Carter would teach Ti Chi at the Peace Pavillion to all the peace interns when she was working on her balance and teaching others how to do it.”
Cade said that while the outpouring of love is wonderful, the best way to remember Carter is to finish her goals.
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“I think what she would say is, ‘Don’t talk about me. Talk about the work that needs to be done,’” Cade said.
Outside of their work, the Carters were a beloved couple known to make friends wherever they went.
Channel 2′s Bryan Mims was in Inman Park, where the couple often dined at restaurants like Folk Art.
Ann Cramer has lived in the Inman Park neighborhood for 50 years and aid she worked with Rosalynn Carte on several projects including the International Women’s Forum.
“I’ve never met such consistently caring, compassionate, brilliant people,” she said.
The owners of Wisteria, a restaurant a few doors down, said they still remember when the Carters first dined at the restaurant more than 20 years ago. Jason Hill said he and his ex-wife, Rhoda Hill, were so inspired by the Carters that they named one of their sons “Carter.”
They visited Plains as a family and attended church with the couple.
“She wanted our son Carter to sit next to her,” HIll said. “And they sit down together, and she was just hugging him the whole time, being just as sweet as she always is.”
Hill remembered how Carter always let her husband shine in the spotlight, and how affectionated they were to each other.
“They were always on their first date,” Hill said. “They really, truly were.”
Rhoda Hill said the love the couple shared was inspiring as well.
“How many people can say they’ve been married for 77 years and still be in that much love today?” she asked.
Gary Cage said he worked with the Carters in the early 90s for the Atlanta Project.
He said he was late for a meeting at the Carter Center once, and Rosalynn snatched up his two children and babysat them. He said that showed her love for children.
“I’m here to thank them for the inspiration,” Cage said.
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