77th Wedding Anniversary Celebrated by Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter in their Plains, Georgia Home

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A serene Friday in their residence in south Georgia marks the 77th wedding anniversary for Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter. This extends their record as the longest-married first couple in history, even as they both grapple with major health issues in their nineties.

Jimmy Carter, the 39th president, is 98 and has been under home hospice care since February. Rosalynn Carter, the former first lady, is 95 and living with dementia. Although the Carter family has refrained from revealing explicit details about the couple’s health, they’ve indicated that the couple has been spending cherished moments together, with family, and occasional visits from close friends in recent times.

Reflecting on their legacy, grandson Jason Carter commented on the enormous support and affection they’ve received. “Love is the term that truly epitomizes not only their personal bond, but also their approach towards life,” he said.

Throughout half a century, Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter have graced both American and international platforms together. Their journey began even earlier, on the family farm and evolved through Carter’s political career and their extensive global humanitarian efforts post-presidency, including the founding of The Carter Center in 1982.

Through the Center, Jimmy Carter embarked on various diplomatic endeavors, often with the blessings of his presidential successors, even if his actions sometimes irked them. The former president and the Center staff have supervised at least 114 elections worldwide since 1989, recently shifting focus to U.S. elections.

The Carter Center has also led a nearly successful campaign against the water-borne Guinea worm parasite, which was rampant in developing countries. Starting in the mid-1980s with millions of known cases, the number dropped to fewer than two dozen by 2022. As of this spring, no cases have been reported in 2023.

Meanwhile, Rosalynn Carter’s policy emphasis on mental health treatment and advocacy extended beyond her time in the White House. She established an annual fellowship for journalists focusing on mental health reporting and advocated for improved services for caregivers. This became even more relevant when it was announced earlier this year that she has dementia.

In addition to the Carter Center, the couple is also renowned for their volunteer work with Habitat for Humanity, an international organization helping low-income people with housing. Starting in 1984, they began an annual tradition of volunteering alongside others for the housing builds, continuing into their late 80s and early 90s.

Donna Brazile, a former Democratic Party chairwoman, praised the couple: “Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter are fundamentally good, decent people. All they’ve achieved is merely an extension of their White House beginnings.”

The Carters tied the knot on July 7, 1946, in their birthplace of Plains, Georgia, but their relationship dates back to their infancy. Jimmy Carter’s mother was a nurse who delivered Rosalynn, and their families were close friends.

Rosalynn was a childhood friend of Jimmy’s sister Ruth, who played matchmaker during one of Jimmy’s visits home from the U.S. Naval Academy. After graduating, he and Rosalynn married and initially left Plains intending only to return as visitors. However, following the death of James Earl Carter Sr. in 1953, they moved back to Georgia to manage the family’s farming and warehouse business.

The future president, who became a strong advocate for women’s rights, later regretted not consulting his wife on the move. Over time, Rosalynn Carter emerged as a vital player in the family business and an influential campaigner and policy advocate.

Jimmy Carter once shared, “My wife is much more political.” Their long-lasting union, they attribute to honest communication and their shared Christian faith. The couple also enjoyed shared hobbies like tennis, hiking, cycling, and fishing, and even a little friendly competition in their writing and bird watching.

Rosalynn Carter also emphasized the importance of personal space in a successful marriage. “That’s really important,” she added.

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More about Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter’s 77th anniversary

• The Carter Center
• Habitat for Humanity
• Jimmy Carter’s Presidential Campaign
• Jimmy Carter’s Life and Presidency
• Rosalynn Carter’s Advocacy for Mental Health