GSW hosts wreath-laying ceremony for Rosalynn Carter's funeral

One of GSW's most prestigious alumni, former First Lady Rosalynn Carter ’46, passed away in 2023. To honor Mrs. Carter’s life and legacy, a wreath-laying service was held on campus on Nov. 27, 2023.

Then-President Neal Weaver, Ph.D., and Rosalynn Carter Institute for Caregivers CEO Jennifer Olsen, Dr.P.H., greeted the Carter family and placed two wreaths at the bronze statue of Mrs. Carter in front of Carter I of the Rosalynn Carter Health and Human Sciences Complex.

Members of the community lined campus sidewalks to pay their respects to Mrs. Carter and witness the funeral procession. The event drew media coverage and visitors from across the state and country. Several GSW faculty and students, including members of the President Jimmy Carter Leadership Program, spoke to reporters about Mrs. Carter's impact on their view of leadership.

GSW's Concert Choir performed for Mrs. Carter's private funeral service at Maranatha Baptist Church in Plains, Ga.

Mrs. Carter began her leadership journey on GSW’s campus in 1945, where she served as Vice President of her class, a founding member of the Young Democrats Club and a Campus Marshal. She was a "day student," traveling back and forth from Plains to Americus every day for classes. She also participated in the Tumbling Club.

After leaving the White House, Mrs. Carter established the Rosalynn Carter Institute for Caregivers on GSW’s campus in 1987 and took her dream of supporting caregivers nationwide. The Carter Health and Human Sciences Complex and bronze statue stand as a testament to her impact on campus, in Georgia, and beyond.