Jimmy Carter credited his longevity to his marriage to Rosalynn Carter

Former President Jimmy Carter was longest-living president in American historyand credited his longevity in part to marrying the best mate, his wife, Rosalynn Carter.

James Earl Carter, Jr., served as the 39th President of the United States. Carter died at the age of 100 on December 29, 2024. His funeral will be held on Thursday, January 9 in Washington DC, and the date has been declared a day of mourning by President Joe Biden.

Carter’s wife, Rosalynn Carter, died in November 2023 at the age of 96. The couple were married for 77 years and had four children and a total of 22 grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

What was the secret of the Carters living a long and happy life? each other.

When asked what he believed leads to a long, happy life, Carter shared People Magazine: “I think the best explanation for that is marrying the best spouse: someone who will take care of you and engage and do things to challenge you and keep you alive and interested in life.”

The former president and first lady wasn’t actually super focused on longevity, he told People; they spent most of their time searching for opportunities to serve their community and pouring into each other.

Their love story began in their hometown of Plains, Georgia, Mr. Carter Washington Post. After meeting at Plains United Methodist Church, he asked Rosalynn on a date to the movies and told her mother he was marrying her the next morning, he said in his interview with The Post.

During her presidency, Rosalynn sat in her cabinet meetings according to Rolling Stone.

The couple also founded Carter Centera non-governmental organization dedicated to improving lives, in 1982. The center has built thousands of homes in over 10 countries together with Habitat for Humanity.

“What Rosalynn and I wanted to do was fill a vacuum, solve problems that others weren’t able or willing to,” Carter told Rolling Stone.

Later in life, the Carters enjoyed quality time together through activities such as tennis, downhill skiing and bird watching: “Rosa and I have seen about 1,300 different species of birds,” he said in his interview with People.

After his presidency, the couple moved back to their hometown and bought a modest $167,000 house.

“Now when we have a quiet moment, like a birthday or something, we like to stay at home, just to ourselves,” he added, “And enjoy a quiet day in our own house with no visitors and with a minimum of phone calls and emails come in.”

They even celebrated their 77th wedding anniversary in July 2023 in their home in Georgia, making them the first couple to have been married the longest.

The dynamic duo lived in their home until their passing. Carter will be buried on the property next to his wife, Rosalynn, according to PBS News.

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