Former First Lady Rosalynn Carter has passed away, aged 96. President Jimmy Carter’s wife served as the First Lady from 1977 to 1981 and was known for her support of many worthy causes, including her passion for mental health research. Following her passing, tributes have poured in, including those from previous presidents such as Barack Obama and Donald Trump.

Rosalynn Carter and Jimmy Carter were together until the end. The two shared an incredible love story that spanned more than seven decades. 

Interestingly, the pair didn’t meet through politics, but rather in a rural town that had only 600 inhabitants. Here we take a look at her incredible life and the love story she shared with her long-time husband.

Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter pretty much knew each other from the day they were born.

Jimmy’s mother, Lillian Carter, was working as a nurse when, one day, her neighbor, Frances Smith, went in labor. Lillian decided to help deliver the baby – and Eleanor Rosalynn was born.

The following day, Rosalynn met Jimmy, then three years old, for the first time. It was the beginning of a lifelong journey they would embark on together, including a stint in the White House and much, much more.

Jimmy Carter & Rosalynn Carter – love story

Jimmy and Rosalynn grew up in the rural town of Plains, Georgia, home to only 600 people. She initially became the best friend of Jimmy’s sister, Ruth, but it wasn’t until they became teenagers that Jimmy and Rosalynn began to notice each other. Jimmy grew up and decided he wanted to embark on a career in the military. Before joining the United States Naval Academy, he attended Georgia Southwestern College and the Georgia Institute of Technology.

He served as a submariner in both the Atlantic and Pacific, rising to the rank of lieutenant. Carter received his B.S. degree in 1946 – and by that stage, a girl back home had grown fond of him.

By the time Jimmy left Plains for the United States Naval Academy, Rosalynn Carter had already fallen in love with him. In the 2020 book What Makes a Marriage Last, Rosalynn described how she saw a photograph of him that his sister, Ruth, had on her bedroom wall.

“I didn’t know a single boy I thought I’d want to spend my life with until Jimmy Carter came calling,” Rosalynn explained.

When Jimmy returned to Plains on a break from the Naval Academy, his then-girlfriend was away at a family reunion, meaning he was missing a date.

“I was cruising around with my sister, Ruth, and her boyfriend, just looking for a date, and I picked up Rosalynn in front of the Methodist church,” Jimmy recalled in What Makes a Marriage Last.