Rosalynn Carter Marks 95th Birthday With Husband of 76 Years Jimmy Carter: 'I Love You The Goodest'

Aug 29, 2022

Aug. 18, 2022, marked the 95th birthday of former first lady Rosalynn Carter, who celebrated the milestone with her husband of 76 years, former president Jimmy Carter, with whom she shares the title of the longest-married presidential couple. The pair lead a quiet life in Plains, Georgia, and rarely use their fame for anything outside of charitable causes. In keeping with their lifestyle, Rosalynn’s birthday was celebrated in a low-key fashion among family and friends.

Rosalynn was born Rosalynn Smith in 1927 in the same town where she and Jimmy were born and now live. According to author and Carter biographer Jonathan Alter, Jimmy met Rosalyn just a few days after she was born as his mother, a nurse, helped deliver Rosalynn. Jimmy’s mom brought the then-3-year-old boy to visit the baby.

Their love story is fittingly sweet for a couple that’s been together for more than seven-and-a-half decades. Rosalynn first knew of Jimmy through his sister Ruth, with whom she was friends. She said Ruth would talk about her brother constantly, and Rosalynn admitted she “literally did fall in love” with a picture of Jimmy hanging in their house.

When the future 39th president finally did ask Rosalynn out, he later told The Washington Post that, after their first date, he had told his mother he was going to marry her. The couple was then married on July 7, 1946. Jimmy was 21 years old, while Rosalynn was only 18. 

Now, the couple lives a simple life back in a farmhouse valued at $167,000, “less than the value of the armored Secret Service vehicles parked outside,” the publication noted. Read on to find out the secret behind the couple’s long-lasting love, how they appreciate each other, and the simple joys of life after the White House.

After Jimmy’s tenure at the White House ended in 1981 after Ronald Reagan beat him in the 1980 presidential election, he and Rosalynn moved back to their hometown of Plains, Georgia. Unlike other former presidents who cashed in on their life post-presidency by giving talks and making event appearances, the Carters chose not to. They only travel in service of their non-profit Carter Center, aimed at promoting democracy, spreading awareness about diseases and supporting those suffering from mental health issues.

More often than not, you’d find the couple in the Plains enjoying their own respective pastimes. 

“We’ve survived this long together because first of all, we give each other plenty of space to do our own thing,” Jimmy told Good Morning America in an interview alongside his wife. Rosalynn’s daily rituals include practicing tai chi and meditating while Jimmy writes or takes a dip in the pool. Every once in a while, they’ll gear up for an activity together.

“We’re always looking to do things or find things we can do together, like fly fishing and bird watching and just going out to the pond, catch a fish,” Rosalynn added in the same interview. 

Jimmy and Rosalynn celebrated their 75th wedding anniversary on July 7, 2021, making them the longest-married presidential couple. The record was previously held by the late George H.W. Bush and Barbara Bush, who were married for 73 years. Their bond was described as one that “cannot be broken” by the Jimmy Carter Presidential Library in a tweet alongside a throwback picture of the couple of Jimmy in his navy dress and Rosalynn smiling from ear to ear. On the special day, Jimmy gifted Rosalynn a diamond necklace with a “75” design, and the pair held a party at a local school for friends and family.

Rosalynn has been an advocate for a number of issues, including mental health, caregiving, women's rights and vaccine access. She has also worked to advance environmental causes and end-of-life care and joined her husband for non-profit housing Habitat for Humanity. So it comes as no surprise that members of the Carter Center and Rosalynn Carter Institute for Caregivers launched a campaign to celebrate the former First Lady’s numerous accomplishments. Using the hashtags #MrsCarterMakingHistory and #95thBirthday, they encouraged the public to share their admiration for her on the special day.

“Mrs. Carter has always been ahead of her time. Whether it was raising caregiver issues to the national stage, fighting mental health stigma, or advancing women’s rights, Mrs. Carter is a trailblazer,” chief executive officer of the Rosalynn Carter Institute for Caregivers, Dr. Jennifer Olsen, said in a statement.

CEO of the Carter Center Paige Alexander had similar sentiments, saying in the same statement:

“Mrs. Carter’s leadership, vision, and warmth have positively impacted millions of Americans along with millions of people around the world. She has been a pioneer in championing causes and policies and establishing resources to address them decades before they became mainstream. Her work to advance and destigmatize mental health has become increasingly relevant in the lives of people today.”

While the wishes flood in online, at home in Plains, Rosalynn planned to celebrate her milestone birthday quietly surrounded by loved ones and most likely getting an “ILYTG” message from those in the know.

“‘I love you the goodest.’ That’s what my mother and daddy used to say back and forth, and I picked it up with Rosa,” Jimmy told People in 2014. 

“Now all our children do the same thing – ILYTG on the phone or in emails. They generally just put the initials,” Jimmy added.

What do you think of the modest life Rosalynn and her former-president husband live today? Do you agree with their secret to long-lasting love? Let us know, and don't forget to pass this on to friends and family.