President Biden on Tuesday ordered that all flags at government buildings and military bases fly at half-staff to honor former First Lady Rosalynn Carter, who died on Sunday.
The flags will be flown at half-staff from Saturday until sunset on the day of Mrs. Carter’s internment.
Mrs. Carter, wife of 39th President Jimmy Carter, passed away Sunday at the couple’s home in Plains, Georgia at age 96. She had only days before entered hospice care after being diagnosed with dementia earlier this year.
“Throughout her life as First Lady of Georgia and First Lady of the United States, Rosalynn Carter exemplified hope, warmth, and a steadfast commitment to doing all she could to address many of our society’s greatest needs,” Biden said in a proclamation. “She was a champion for equal rights and opportunities for women and girls; an advocate for mental health and wellness for all; and a supporter of the often unseen and uncompensated caregivers of our children, aging loved ones, and people with disabilities. Above all, the deep love shared between Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter is the definition of partnership, and their humble leadership is the definition of patriotism.”
Through their decades of diplomatic and charity work with the Carter Center and Habitat for Humanity, the Carters redefined the public service role of First Couple post-Presidency.
The President’s proclamation added, “As a mark of respect for the memory of Rosalynn Carter, by the authority vested in me as President of the United States by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America, I hereby order that the flag of the United States shall be flown at half-staff at the White House and upon all public buildings and grounds, at all military posts and naval stations, and on all naval vessels of the Federal Government in the District of Columbia and throughout the United States and its Territories and possessions from November 25, 2023, until sunset, on the day of interment.”
Mrs. Carter is survived by her husband, the 99-year-old former President who has also entered hospice care, their four children and a combined 22 grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
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