‘She was East Kentucky that day’: Rosalynn Carter remembered by former first lady of Kentucky

PIKEVILLE, Ky. (WYMT) – Following her death Sunday, former First Lady Rosalynn Carter has been remembered by many for her dedication to community and care.

From her national reach to her humanitarian roots, the wife of former President Jimmy Carter left behind a legacy of giving- receiving praise by Pikeville leaders for the work done in the mountains of Eastern Kentucky.

Judi Patton, wife of former Kentucky governor Paul Patton, worked with the first lady as part of the Hammering in the HIlls initiative, building 9 homes in Pike County during the summer of 1997.

”She got on that ladder and there she went,” Patton said. “Everybody was so nervous. Honey, she came in, she put everybody at ease. She patted them on the back, ‘Come on get to work.’ You know, that’s her legacy. Both of them. What they have done for mankind. Their love.”

Patton remembers Carter as a kind, hard-working woman, who made it a point to speak to everyone she encountered.

“She had a discussion with every person doing that habitat build. I mean, she was just that way,” Patton recalled.

According to Kentucky’s former first lady, that kindness and care was something that continued long after the cameras stopped rolling. She said the impression made by the Carters during that build created a lifelong respect for the couple.

“She was East Kentucky that day. Never knew the difference where she came from,” Patton said. ““She made us feel proud that we were East Kentuckians. And we were doing something good or someone else who could never have a home. That’s her legacy.”

She said the only thing more obvious than her love for the work was her love for her husband, saying they were hand-in-hand throughout the process.

“I think God sent them down to show all of us, everybody all over the world, how we should live our lives,” said Patton.

Now, she said, her heart breaks for the former 99-year-old president as he mourns, and she hopes he can find reassurance, knowing his wife’s legacy will live on.

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