In October 2022, former US President Jimmy Carter celebrated his 98th birthday alongside his wife, Rosalynn. The couple, who have been together for over 80 years, spent the day together at their modest ranch, which they chose as their retirement home. The Carters hold the record for the longest marriage of any US presidential couple. Despite their enduring love, their marriage has faced significant challenges in the past, with moments that nearly led to divorce.
Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter have always enjoyed spending time together on calm, peaceful days like birthdays. In a 2019 People story, Jimmy shared that they prefer to avoid phone calls and emails and spend their time alone. The former president and his wife have been united since the 1940s and have remained devoted to one another ever since. Jimmy has often credited his wife as his main source of energy, stating that he has lived so long because he married the “finest spouse” who took care of him and pushed him.
Jimmy Carter and Rosalynn first met in their hometown of Plains, Georgia when they were both teenagers. Jimmy fell in love instantly, but Rosalynn took a while to reciprocate his feelings.
Before becoming Mrs. Carter, Rosalynn was Rosalynn Smith, and as a child, she never imagined she would marry anyone. She even ignored the guys who visited her in Plains. According to the book “What Makes a Marriage Last,” Rosalynn instructed her mother to tell the boys that she wasn’t home. She didn’t know any boy she wanted to marry at the time.
Jimmy remembered how cautious Rosalynn was back then, and how she liked him but not other males. According to the novel, she fell in love with his portrait on her bedroom wall.
Everyone in Plains knew each other, but Rosalynn was closer to Jimmy’s family. Ruth Carter was her best friend, and she spent a lot of time at the Carter home, but Jimmy was never there. Rosalynn, who was three years younger than Jimmy, first noticed him when she was 13. Due to their age gap, a relationship was impossible, but when she turned 18, Jimmy returned from the Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland.
During his month-long vacation, Rosalynn and Ruth plotted to get her with Jimmy. Whenever Ruth’s brother was around, she would contact her friend, but by the time Rosalynn arrived, Jimmy was gone. Jimmy had several girlfriends as a teen and even dated Miss Georgia Southwestern State in high school. On the penultimate night of one of his getaways, his girlfriend was at a family gathering. He took Ruth and her boyfriend dating, picked up Rosalynn from church, and invited her to the movies. In the book, Jimmy stated that he was “compatible” with the future first lady because she was naive and lovely. During their first date, the future US President kissed Rosalynn and told his mother, “I wanted to marry her.” On President’s Day, Jimmy proposed to Rosalynn while they were in Annapolis.
At first, Rosalynn rejected his proposal because she had planned to attend a four-year college. However, in three months, she agreed, and they got married on July 7, 1946. On their first wedding anniversary, Jimmy’s wife gave birth to Jack Carter, and they went on to have three more children: Chip, Jeff, and Amy. Early in their marriage, they traveled throughout the country due to Jimmy’s military deployments. It wasn’t always easy, and Rosalynn had to use a bus to fetch groceries with their toddler.