Yesterday afternoon we learned that former First Lady Rosalynn Carter passed away at the age of 96. She had been in hospice at her home for the final weeks of her life and according to the family, she passed peacefully. While this wasn’t unexpected, I found myself unusually moved by the news and spent some time last night reflecting on the lives of the Carters and what they meant to America and the world. Chatting with some friends online, it quickly became clear that people of all political persuasions had a lot of respect for the Carters, and Rosalynn Carter will be remembered as an outstanding American. The Carter Center provided the initial details of her passing.

Former First Lady Rosalynn Carter, a passionate champion of mental health, caregiving, and women’s rights, passed away Sunday, Nov. 19, at 2:10 p.m. at her home in Plains, Georgia, at the age of 96. She died peacefully, with family by her side.

Mrs. Carter was married for 77 years to Jimmy Carter, the 39^th president of the United States and the 2002 Nobel Peace Prize recipient, who is now 99 years old.

“Rosalynn was my equal partner in everything I ever accomplished,” President Carter said. “She gave me wise guidance and encouragement when I needed it. As long as Rosalynn was in the world, I always knew somebody loved and supported me.”

It’s almost impossible to reflect on the life of Rosalynn Carter without invoking her husband since he was the President of the United States. I’ll confess that I missed a lot of the day-to-day news during Jimmy Carter’s presidency because I spent almost all of it in the Navy, frequently out at sea with limited communications. We were a bit busy with the Cold War. The results of Carter’s four years in office were… let’s just say “unsatisfactory,” and leave that topic for another day.

While serving as First Lady, Rosalynn Carter was an early champion for mental health issues at a time when many people still didn’t like discussing that uncomfortable topic. She would continue raising awareness and working to make more resources available to the mentally ill for the rest of her life. She and her husband were devout people of the Christian faith, regularly attending services and Rosalynn would help out Jimmy when he would teach Sunday school for the children. She would also frequently show up to lend a hand when her husband was swinging a hammer and building housing for the homeless with Habitat for Humanity.

I’ve discussed this topic privately with Ed Morrissey on a number of occasions and we both feel that while Jimmy Carter is no doubt one of the lowest-ranking Presidents of the modern era in terms of results, he was certainly one of the best ex-presidents we’ve ever had. And Rosalynn was his partner through it all. The Carters were among the only families to go to the White House and not come away filthy rich and embroiled in corporate and globalist schemes to profit from their influential positions. They always truly seemed dedicated to giving back to the country and the people they served.

Now Rosalynn Carter has passed on to what I am confident will be her final reward. The Washington Post ran an article speaking of how Jimmy Carter is now “left to face life alone.” I hesitated to even bring this up for fear of looking as if I were casting a jinx, but we should point out that Jimmy is in hospice himself and the prognosis is not good. With absolutely no ill will intended, I find it likely that the loss of his wife may be a signal that he may soon be joining her, as frequently happens when one-half of an elderly couple passes on. We should all be able to put politics aside and reflect on two remarkable people who lived long, full lives and gave back far more than they were given, leading by example as compassionate, Christian servants. Rest in peace.