Hearts hurting at Carter Center as people remember Rosalynn Carter

Atlantans living nearby the Carter Presidential Center visited the grounds late Sunday afternoon to pay their respects to Rosalynn Carter.

The wife of former President Jimmy Carter, died Sunday. She was 96.

Raymond Otieno, 46, of Nairobi, Kenya, said he felt a need to walk the serene grounds after hearing of her passing.

He’s in town visiting a friend for the weekend.

Credit: Miguel Martinez

Credit: Miguel Martinez

“She and her husband were quite inspiring. Such humble people,” Otieno said. “I just had to come here. It’s sad news, at the same time you rejoice that they lived such a fulfilling life together.”

Joel Silverman walked over with his dog, Tito, to lay flowers beneath the bust of the former president.

Silverman said he has regularly walked the grounds of the Carter Center since it opened in the 1980s. In those early days, neighbors would bring their dogs to play in the pond, he said.

Credit: Adrianne Murchison

“I cried,” Silverman said of news that Rosalynn Carter died. “I don’t think anyone didn’t love Mrs. Carter. She fought for peace and global health. Everyone is grateful to her for a life of service, I think.

Renate Negri, of Brazil, and her three young sons were discussing the Carters’ humanitarian and political work during the car drive to visit the Center’s garden.

“We didn’t know of the news until we walked up,” Negri said. “We were just talking about their history and humanitarian work.”

Credit: Adrianne Murchison

Randy Osborne came to the Carter Center grounds thinking there would be a larger gathering.

“I think the word is still getting out,” he said. “I’m sad. They just seemed like the sweetest couple in my lifetime. They were so candid about their relationship and politics and what they wanted to do for the world.”