Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter celebrate their 75th wedding anniversary

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On July 7, former President Jimmy Carter and former first lady Rosalynn Carter will celebrate their 75th wedding anniversary, reflecting on the wonderful life that took them from rural Georgia and locales around the world as a Navy family to the Governor’s Mansion and eventually the White House.

Despite the whirlwind of their nearly eight-decade marriage, some things remain the same.

Former President Carter, 96, and the former first lady, 93, still live in Plains, the small town in southwest Georgia where they were born. And they often give each other the kind of loving look that many spend years trying to find.

“It’s a complete partnership,” the 39th president told The Associated Press during a joint interview ahead of the couple’s anniversary date.

When Carter was a junior officer in the US Navy, spending time at home away from the venerable establishment, his first meeting with Rosalynn served as the spark that blossomed in lifelong memories.

In his interview, Carter said the most important decision he ever made wasn’t as leader of the free world or even as a nuclear submarine executive early in the Cold War—it was Eleanor Rosalynn Smith’s courtship, which began in 1945 and led to their marriage the following year.

“My biggest secret is to marry the right person if you want to have a long-term marriage,” the former president told the Associated Press.

Former President Jimmy Carter and his wife Rosalynn arrive for a ribbon-cutting party for a solar panel project on farmland they own in their hometown of Plains, Georgia. Associated Press/David Goldman photo, file

The first couple gave advice on how to maintain a lasting bond.

“Every day there is a need for reconciliation and communication between spouses,” the former president said, explaining that the devout couple read the Bible together every night. “We don’t sleep with some differences left between us.

Rosalynn Carter said finding common interests is key — with some limits in mind.

“Jimmy and I are always looking for things to do together,” she told The Associated Press. “Everyone (person) should have a space. This is really important.”

During her days in the White House, the former first lady served as a reliable support system for her husband, while also being involved with her own issues, which included health care and mental health awareness.

The couple plans to celebrate this achievement a few days after their anniversary with a party in their hometown.

Rosalynn Carter joked about the size of the crowd he was due to attend.

“A lot of people were invited,” she said with a laugh. “I’m actually praying for some regression and regret.”

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