Today, former President Jimmy Carter and his wife, former First Lady Rosalynn Carter, are commemorating their 77th marriage anniversary.
Few couples ever reach that milestone anniversary, increasing their record for being the longest-married US presidential couple ever. It speaks much about their enduring love and dedication to one another.
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77th anniversary
After a trying year for both couples, there will be a celebration. It was revealed in February that Jimmy, 98, will be given hospice care after preferring to “spend his remaining time at home with his family.”
Rosalynn, 95, was also given a dementia diagnosis on May 30, according to a statement from the Carter Centre.
The long-married pair is still celebrating their anniversary together despite their current health issues. The Plains, Georgia, couple reportedly keeps things simple by spending the day alone at home.
The Carters are said to be spending time together and having many relatives and close friends visit them, even though there have been no more updates on their health.
The romance between Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter
Jimmy and Rosalynn have been married for 77 years, which is fantastic, but their romance dates back even longer. They have been close friends for almost their whole lives.
Wishing Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter a joyful 77th wedding anniversary! The Carters married on this day in 1946 in their hometown of Plains, GA.
— The Carter Center (@CarterCenter) July 7, 2023
Photo Credit: Jimmy Carter Library pic.twitter.com/ng2s90UCcc
Rosalynn and Jimmy knew each other’s sisters and grew up three miles apart. It was love at first sight, even then.
In her biography, Rosalynn stated, “I thought he was the most handsome young man I had ever seen.”
When Jimmy Carter returned home from the U.S. Naval Academy years later, his sister fixed them up on a date, and they had a good time. In their native Plains, Georgia, they were united in marriage on July 7, 1946.
After his father passed away in 1953, Jimmy Carter continued serving in the military until he resigned and took over the family farm. However, he quickly started a political career and was elected to the Georgia Senate in 1962.
Rosalynn stood by his side the entire time. “We built a partnership when we were working in the farm supply business, and it stopped when Jimmy was involved in politics,” Rosalynn Carter told AP. “On paper, I was more knowledgeable about the company than he was. He would follow my recommendations.
In 1976, Jimmy Carter defeated incumbent Gerald Ford to become Georgia’s governor and then the 39th President of the United States. Rosalynn supported her husband’s programs as first lady and championed the cause of mental health awareness.
The Carters kept up their amazing humanitarian activities after Carter left office. After winning the Nobel Peace Prize in 2002, Jimmy founded the Carter Centre to advance and promote human rights. Rosalynn has persisted in supporting a variety of topics, including mental health.
The pair is also well-known for their continued assistance to the charitable organization Habitat for Humanity. Jimmy and Rosalynn continued to work on housing projects for those in need far into their 90s.
They remained in love despite everything. According to KDVR, Carter declared that marrying Rosalynn was the finest thing he had ever done. That was the apex of my existence, I said.
Jimmy gave his marriage credit for keeping him alive all these years since both of them lived well into their 90s.
“I think the best explanation for that is to marry the best spouse: who will take care of you, engage with you, and do things to challenge you and keep you alive and interested in life,” he said to People in 2019. “[We] have lived a happy life as a couple.”
To Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter, a happy 77th wedding anniversary! Although the past several months have been challenging for them both, we’re glad they could celebrate their love for one more year.
