Finding your soul mate is a rarity in life. For those lucky enough to discover someone who makes their heart flutter, holding on to that love becomes a priority. Rosalynn Carter was the beloved life partner of the late President Jimmy Carter, and their story is one of enduring love that sounds like a fairy tale.
News of Rosalynn Carter’s death at the age of 96 after battling dementia spread around the world through an announcement from the Carter Center. After this loss, Jimmy Carter reflected on their extraordinary bond and recognized Rosalynn as an equal partner in every aspect of life. Her presence ensured his unwavering love and support in every endeavor.
“In everything I have ever accomplished, Roselynn has been my equal partner,” former President Jimmy Carter said in a statement. “She gave me wise counsel and inspiration when I needed it. Rosalynn’s presence in the world ensured that I always had someone for love and support.”
As the longest-married presidential couple, Jimmy Carter and his devoted wife Rosalynn celebrated their 75th wedding anniversary two years ago.
On July 7, 1946, the Carters were married in Plains, Georgia, marking a momentous occasion.
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Jimmy’s neighbor Rosalynn’s family and she was close friends with his sister. She remembered seeing a picture of Jimmy his sister on the wall and falling in love with it because it showed a young Jimmy in uniform.
“I didn’t know a single guy I thought I wanted to spend my life with until Jimmy Carter called me,” Rosalynn said.
Jimmy didn’t get to visit his then-girlfriend when he returned to Plains during a break from the Naval Academy because she was away at a family reunion.
Jimmy in What Makes a Marriage Last: “I was walking with my sister Ruth and her boyfriend, just looking for a date, and I picked up Rosalynn in front of the Methodist church.” Rosalynn instantly caught his eye and he knew she was the one.
“I just felt good with her. It resonated and she was beautiful and innocent. On our first date I k, kissed Ruth while we were riding in the front of a Ford pickup in the rumble seat. Ruth was accompanied by her boyfriend. That’s something you I still remember clearly.’
On their first date, “the moon was full in the sky, the conversation was easy, and I was in love,” Rosalynn recalled in her memoir, First Lady of the Plains.
They started dating, but she didn’t tie the knot until she was eighteen because she had promised her dying father that she wouldn’t marry until she finished college.
The reason the couple moved around so much in the early years of their marriage was Jimmy’s frequent deployments to different areas.
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But Rosalynn didn’t mind. In fact, she enjoyed traveling with him, so she wasn’t happy when he decided to give up his job in the Navy. She told The New York Times, “I was self-sufficient and independent of my mother and Jimmy’s mother.”
Three children were born to the couple over the next six years.
Chip was born in 1950, Jefferey in 1952, and Jack in 1947. Amy Lynn, their only daughter and fourth child, was brought into the family later in 1967.
As for their lasting bond, there seemed to be a secret that the couple revealed to the public.
She is just as powerful as me, if not more so.
In our partnership, when it comes to business decisions, she and I are completely equal. He also makes most decisions about family matters. Additionally, I believe she had to work hard to gain this level of equality and independence in our intimate connection. In short, we often quarreled—but never anything major—but not today.’
It might be hard to stay married that long, but the Carters didn’t see it that way.
They were always there for each other during his presidency and his battle with cancer.
Rosalynn and Jimmy shared the key to a long and happy marriage: never going to bed angry at each other and learning to appreciate the little things in life that many take for granted, like spending quality time together.
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“Our bond has grown stronger. We’ve gained knowledge between us. Plus we’ve come to understand each other’s idiosyncrasies,” Jimmy Carter told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Plus, we now know how to give each other a lot of space. Each of us can pursue our own interests while the other is absent.”
Rosalynn also had wonderful things to say about her husband.
“Jimmy’s really sweet; he’ll reach out and take mine whether we’re driving or walking down the street. He holds my hand. I feel more connected to him because of things like that,” the former first lady said.
Our relationship may have started before he became president when I was the accountant for our farm supply company. Before long, I had more written information about the company than he did and could advise him. For example, I found out from the books that we lost money as soon as we started shelling corn and producing peanuts and cotton. that our financial situation was dire. I could give him advice,” Rosalynn Carter continued. So I believe that’s how our collaboration evolved. That marked the beginning of everything.”
The two shared many interests, including bird watching and volunteering for Habitat for Humanity, an organization that builds homes for the underprivileged.
They also allowed each other the freedom to pursue their own interests. “Jimmy and I are always looking for things to do together. Rosalynn told CBS42. “Everyone should have some personal space. That’s very important.”
“We had a policy that we agreed upon,” Carter said at a press conference in 2019. We leave a lot of room for each other to pursue their own interests. We also look for activities that we enjoy together and try to focus on those. When I was sixty-two, we started downhill skiing. She was fifty-nine.
We started fly fishing, playing tennis, and bird watching. So we engage in a lot of joint activities.
Every night we try to forgive each other for any disagreements we had during the day. Our goal is to read the Bible every day. Late at night most of the time, Jimmy Carter noted. “And we try to reconcile and never sleep with some lingering argument.
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Rosalynn and Jimmy were both aware that their love and feelings for each other would only grow deeper with time. Their only memory of disagreements is while writing a book together.
“I know for myself,” Jimmy noted, “marrying Rosalynn and living together for such a long time, getting to know each other more and more deeply every day in married life, was the best thing that ever happened to me.” to me.”
He stated, “I was very happy.” “And I love her more now than I did at first—which is saying a lot because I loved her a lot.
The Carter Center recently released a statement that shocked a lot of people. Former President Carter was placed in hospice care after several hospital stays.
“Former US President Jimmy Carter today decided to choose hospice care over further medical care and live out his final days at home with his family after a series of brief hospitalizations. His family and medical staff are fully behind him.”
Over the years he has had to deal with a number of serious medical conditions, including brain cancer. In 2019, he underwent brain surgery to relieve the increasing pressure.
Rosalynn Carter has left and President Carter is devastated.
“My mother was a great humanitarian in her own right, in addition to being a loving mother and an extraordinary first lady,” her son Chip Carter said of his mother. She set an example for all Americans with her life of compassion and service. She will not only be deeply mourned by our family but also by many others who now have access to care resources and better mental health treatment.”
Peace be with you Carter Rosalynn.
The story of Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter is a narrative that transcends time, encapsulating the essence of a deep and enduring love that has endured through life’s trials and triumphs. Their bond wasn’t just about the grand moments of history or the public eye; it was rooted in the simplicity of shared values, mutual support, and unwavering commitment to one another.
Their enduring love story is a testament to the resilience of marriage, the importance of mutual respect, and the profound impact of friendship. Along the way, they taught us that a successful partnership is built on trust, understanding, and a willingness to grow together.
As the world mourns the death of Rosalynn Carter, her legacy of compassion, service, and love lives on. Her remarkable union with Jimmy Carter serves as an eternal reminder of the beauty and strength in a lifelong partnership—a beacon of hope for those seeking lasting love and companionship.
Their journey from small-town beginnings to the pinnacle of political leadership and beyond is a celebration of love, perseverance, and timelessness. The Carters’ story will forever reflect the sense that true love knows no bounds and that a shared life built on mutual admiration and unwavering support is one of life’s most precious gifts.