Jimmy Carter Pays Emotional Tribute to Wife of 77 Years, Rosalynn Carter

Although political preferences divide the nation, one thing is true among both parties. The President is heavily watched during their term. Meanwhile, their wives are also in the spotlight, each doing their part to contribute to their husbands’ terms. From Abigail Adams’ pleas with her husband to abolish slavery and give women rights to Lady Bird Johnson’s “Highway Beautification Act,” each First Lady spoke up for themselves and the causes that they believed to be important; perhaps none more so than beloved Rosalynn Carter. Sadly, she passed away on November 19, 2023, but not before accomplishing some incredible things.

Rosalynn Carter, born no Stranger to Hard Work

Rosalynn Carter was not only a woman of grace and compassion, but,she was no stranger to suffering either. She was born on August 18, 1927, in Plains, Georgia, the same city where she passed away. Her legal birth name was Eleanor Rosalynn Smith. She was the oldest of 4 children, born to Wilburn Edgar Smith and Allethea “Allie” Murray Smith. At just 13 years old, Rosalynn Carter took a job as a hairdresser to help feed her family when her father passed away in 1940 from leukemia. He had worked as a mechanic while her mother was a stay-at-home wife. However, her father’s passing left her mother with an insurance payout of less than $20 a month. Thereby leading Rosalynn and her mother to take various jobs to support the family.

Off to School to Achieve Greatness

She did well in school and graduated high school as valedictorian. Then went on to Georgia Southwestern College, now Georgia Southwestern State University. The summer after her freshman year, she began dating her best friend’s brother. A cadet at the Annapolis Naval Academy and unbeknownst to her at the time, the man she’d spend the rest of her life with.

Becoming Mrs. Rosalynn Carter

Rosalynn Carter had known Jimmy Carter all her life as their families were neighbors, and his mother, who was a registered nurse, had even helped deliver baby Rosalynn. However, it wasn’t until the Summer of 1945 that the pair had their first date. Despite her initial doubts, the pair would go on to share a blissful 77 years together. In December of 1945, Jimmy proposed, and Rosalynn, who felt it was too soon in their relationship, turned him down. Knowing she was the woman for him, Jimmy asked her again two months later to be his wife. This time, she said “yes,” and the pair were married on July 7, 1946, at Plains Methodist Church.

Unwavering Love and Devotion

Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter had a love unparalleled by most. They would love, honor, and respect one another through all of life’s ups and downs. Through parenting four children, the death of parents, and the constant traveling for Jimmy’s job. The first seven years of their marriage were filled with several moves to bases around the country. During this time, three of their four children were born. Rosalynn Carter divided her time between raising their boys and continuing her education in Literature and Art. In 1953, Jimmy Carter moved back to Plains, Georgia, with his wife and their sons after his father passed away. There he ran the family peanut business. Meanwhile, Rosalynn handled the bookkeeping, just one of the many tasks they’d tackle side by side.

A Supportive Wife and Powerful Advocate

Before becoming the 39th president, Jimmy Carter was elected to the Georgia Senate in 1961, often leaving Rosalynn to handle many of his affairs, including his political correspondence. He later ran for governor of Georgia in 1970, just seven years before becoming the 39th President of the United States. While campaigning for her husband, Rosalynn Carter became passionate about addressing mental health issues. In 1967, while still in Plains, Georgia, Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter welcomed their first daughter and last child, Amy, into the world. Although she did her part to raise her daughter, Rosalynn returned to making a difference in the world as soon as possible. She actively campaigned for and supported her husband during his presidency and would go on to do even more good for the world.

Rosalynn Carter would, alongside her husband, found the Carter Center, dedicated to “commitment to human rights and the alleviation of human suffering” in 1982. The center has taken part in some major accomplishments, including reducing the incidence of Guinea worm disease by 99.99 percent, helping to establish a village-based healthcare delivery system in thousands of communities in Africa, and advancing efforts to improve mental health care.

Continuing Their Hard Work

Amazingly, Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter didn’t stop serving the people after his time in office and in the 2000s, were seen taking part in building homes for Habitat for Humanity. Although the pair have done some outstanding things in their lives, they’ve both been at battle with Alzheimer’s, ultimately credited with her cause of death. About six weeks ago, the Carter Center confirmed that Rosalynn Carter was under care in hospice and had finally succumbed to her illness at 2:10 pm on November 19th.

Adorably, Jimmy Carter wrote his wife a loving short poem in his book from 1995, “Always a Reckoning”. The poem reads, “I’d pay to sit behind her, blind to what was on the screen, and watch the image flicker on her hair.”

There’s no question the former President and his wife of 77 years truly had a fairy tale romance that blossomed into a beautiful and fulfilling life of good deeds and warm wishes for the world around them. “Rosalynn was my equal partner in everything I ever accomplished. She gave me wise guidance and encouragement when I needed it. As long as Rosalynn was in the world, I always knew somebody loved and supported me,” Jimmy lovingly shared his inspirational, one-of-a-kind wife.