Rosalynn Carter at 12 Cared for Sick Dad – Her Family of 38 Returned Her Love until Her Death

Before becoming America's First Lady, Rosalynn Carter learned to be responsible for her family at age 12, following her father's illness. These family values proved helpful when she had her own family. She successfully passed it down to her family, and they gathered to enjoy Christmas and New Year every year.

Rosalynn Carter was a renowned author and activist, who understood the concept of "first" before occupying the most important office in U.S. history. She was the eldest child of her parents and the first to be assigned sibling responsibility.

At age 12, her dad was diagnosed with leukemia, forcing her to step up as her dad's caregiver. While her mom looked for work to support the family, Rosalynn helped to manage the home, caring for her younger siblings.

Once she became her mom's support system, she related to the "stress, exhaustion, loneliness and grief of caring for a loved one." Rosalynn admitted:

"I've never forgotten how she—how we—struggled under the weight of long-term caregiving: not just physically and financially, but emotionally as well."

The family coped with losing a few relatives, including her dad and grandmother. However, it did not stop Rosalynn from falling in love with the idea of caregiving, as she joined her mother to tend to her grandfather.

Rosalynn was skillful at looking after people, and after her time as the First Lady, she continued caregiving for her mom and several relatives. That was not all; she became the first to organize a caregiver conference, identifying prevalent issues.

What started as a duty metamorphosed into a passion. Rosalynn loved caring for people, and she often spoke about the subject. In her book, "Helping Yourself Help Others: A Book for Caregivers," she wrote:

"We can learn to approach caregiving as a blessing as well as a challenging task."

No matter how inspiring the story appears, Rosalynn suffered some stress and was robbed of her childhood following her father's death at age 13. But her story was met with a happy ending after meeting the love of her life—Jimmy.

Rosalynn and Jimmy Carter Met by Fate in Front of the Church Where They Wed

Rosalynn's life changed from a dutiful teenager to a happy one after she met Jimmy Carter. America's 39th president was from a tiny area in south Georgia, and he met the woman who became his partner while visiting home.

Despite being engrossed in each other, the Carters hope to leave a highly valued legacy among their family.

Jimmy was on a drive with his sister, Ruth, and her boyfriend, enjoying his holiday before his final year at the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis, when he met Rosalynn. Although he had a girlfriend at the time, a beauty queen from the neighboring town, she was unavailable, so he needed a date.

He recalled seeing Rosalynn outside the United Methodist Church across the street and, without hesitation, asked her to go out with him. The 17-year-old, whose family was close to the Carters, was so excited at the offer that she hurriedly hopped into the car.

Jimmy's mom, Lilian, was a nurse who cared for Rosalynn when she was a baby. His sister, Ruth, was also Rosalynn's friend, and for a long time, the girls tried to set them on a date. This was because Rosalynn had a crush on her pal's older brother.

While reliving the moment of their first meeting, the former First Lady wrote in her memoir "First Lady from Plains," "The moon was full in the sky, conversation came easy, and I was in love…and on the way home, he kissed me."

Although Jimmy hadn't noticed her until that night in 1945, when they walked back home, guided by the moonlight, he realized she was the one. The following day, the young naval officer told his mother about his date and, with reassuring confidence, added:

"She's the one I'm going to marry."

Their love was undeniable, but as young as Rosalynn was, she wanted to take things slow. Interestingly, when Jimmy proposed to her, she turned him down—the first time.

A few weeks later, following a visit to his Naval Academy in Annapolis, she changed her mind, and on a second proposal attempt, the teenager agreed to be his bride.

Once she arrived home, Jimmy sent her a guidebook titled "The Navy Wife," which she read critically. Then, in July 1946, after graduating from the Naval Academy, 21-year-old Jimmy and his 18-year-old bride were married in the Methodist Church where they first met.

Rosalynn and Jimmy Carter's Iconic Relationship

The Carters underwent different life changes, including career and parenthood as a team. The pair, who were married for 77 years, made history as the longest-married presidential couple in the U.S. For the historical celebration, Jimmy and Rosalynn, 99 and 96, respectively, decided to enjoy an intimate time in their Georgian home instead of an elaborate party.

Through the years, they have grown fonder of each other, loving and showing care as often as possible. The iconic couple would rather sit together in their living room, basking in the sunlight and each other's company. The former president, who is less mobile than his wife, still talks sweetly about his heartthrob. He claimed:

"It's been the best thing I've ever had happen to me — marrying Rosalynn and living together for so long. I've been very happy, and I love her more now than I did to begin with— which is saying a lot because I loved her a lot."

Their love story grew on their four kids, sons Jack, Donnel, and Chip, and only daughter, Amy. While recalling how his parents ended up next to each other in a hospital following his dad's hip injury and mom's transient ischemic attack, Chip Carter gushingly noted:

"It's kind of this lovey dovey thing that's been going on forever. They've evolved, and still are evolving into an equality that I don't think many people ever get."

For more than fifty years, Rosalynn and her husband were dedicated to caregiving, and through various ways, including charities, they spread their love to strangers. However, they also extended this care to their family.

Despite being engrossed in each other, the Carters loved to enjoy family life. Unfortunately, the Carter family has lost their matriarch. Rosalynn died on November 19, 2023, at 96. She passed peacefully, surrounded by her family.

In the last days of her life, Rosalynn was under hospice care as her dementia diagnosis progressed. Nonetheless, she still spent a lot of time with her husband and loved ones. She is survived by her four children, 11 grandchildren, and 14 great-grandchildren but lost one grandchild in 2015.

Her family and supporters will remember her as a great First Lady, an activist, and an all-round humanitarian. "She will be sorely missed not only by our family but by the many people who have better mental health care and access to resources for caregiving today," expressed her son Chip.

On the other hand, Jimmy will never forget the unconditional support and guidance he received from his wife. The former president candidly said:

“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.”

For about two decades, the former president never took time with family for granted. He took his large family on vacations, where everyone enjoyed caring for each other over the Christmas and New Year holidays.