Rosalynn Carter and Jimmy Carter were childhood friends and neighbors, so they knew each other inside and out, even before things turned romantic. “She’s the girl I want to marry,” Jimmy declared after their first date, per The White House. A year later, the 21-year-old Naval Academy graduate married the 18-year-old, and from that day on, they stuck together through thick and thin, in sickness and in health, til death did they part.
Jimmy and Rosalynn shared how they made their marriage work. He said they always settled their differences before the day’s end. “We also make up and give each other a kiss [before we sleep]. And we always read the Bible every night,” Jimmy told PBS. Rosalynn said the key was striking the right balance between being alone and being together. “I think we give each other space, and we try to do things together,” she explained.
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Jimmy and Rosalynn’s children grew up in the White House with two hard-working parents. However, Rosalynn was a devoted mom who always found time for them. When asked what her biggest dream in life was, Rosalynn told The New York Times that, like all parents, it was for her children to enjoy “a full and productive life.” Still, despite decades of marriage and motherhood, she remained a strong and independent woman who wasn’t afraid to speak her mind, especially to her husband. “I tell him what I think,” the formidable first lady declared.
