Death and state funeral of Jimmy Carter

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Death and state funeral of Jimmy Carter
DateJanuary 4–9, 2025 (2025-01-04 – 2025-01-09)
Location Washington, D.C., United States
Organized by President Joe Biden
Participants
Burial Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter House
Lying in state United States Capitol
Website www.jimmycartertribute.org

On December 29, 2024, Jimmy Carter, the 39th president of the United States and the recipient of the 2002 Nobel Peace Prize for his post-presidential work, died at his home in Plains, Georgia, after nearly two years in hospice care. At the age of 100 years, 89 days, Carter was the longest-lived U.S. president in history and the first president to reach the age of 100.

Contents

Background

After several years dealing with various health issues and declining physical ability, particularly being diagnosed with melanoma that metastasized to his brain and liver, [1] the Carter Center announced on February 18, 2023, that Carter was staying at home to "receive hospice care instead of additional medical intervention". [2] Sources noted that hospice care medically means that the patient's life expectancy is no more than six months to live, and patients in hospice care typically die within several weeks. The following week after the announcement, it was reported that Carter's close family members had come to his home in Georgia to spend his final days with him, [3] although local news reported four months later that Carter remained "in great spirits, visiting with family and still enjoying ice cream". [4]

In late August 2023, Carter's grandson Jason Carter provided an update on Carter's health, noting that his grandfather was "in the final chapter" of his life, [5] and in mid-September, Jason further reported that both Carter and former first lady Rosalynn Carter were "coming to the end", [6] though both were well enough to be taken for a drive through the Plains Peanut Festival on September 23. [7] On November 17, 2023, it was announced that his wife Rosalynn would also be entering hospice care; [8] she died two days later, at the age of 96, [9] and in his final public appearance, Carter attended her funeral. [10]

Carter had been the earliest-serving living former president for 18 years, since the death of Gerald Ford in 2006. In September 2012, he surpassed Herbert Hoover as the president with the longest retirement. [11] [12] Seven years later, on March 22, 2019, he became the nation's longest-lived president, when he surpassed the lifespan of George H. W. Bush, who was 94 years, 171 days of age when Bush died in November 2018; both men were born in 1924. [13] He noted how difficult it felt to reach his 90s, the former president saying in a 2019 interview with People that he never expected to live as long as he has, claiming his secret to a long life is a good marriage. [14] With Carter's death, the distinction of earliest-serving living former president passes to Bill Clinton, who is also the last remaining 20th century president, while the distinction of oldest living president (current or former) passes to Joe Biden.

Death

Statement by President Joe Biden and First Lady Jill Biden on the Passing of Former.pdf
Statement by President Joe Biden and First Lady Jill Biden on the Passing of Former President Jimmy Carter
President Joe Biden delivering remarks about the death and legacy of Carter

On December 29, 2024, Carter died at his home in Plains, Georgia. Carter's son, James E. Carter III, said he died at around 3:45 p.m. EST. [15] [16]

Reactions

President Joe Biden stated that "America and the world lost an extraordinary leader, statesman and humanitarian", and president-elect Donald Trump said Carter "did everything in his power to improve the lives of all Americans." [17] In an address from Saint Croix, Biden said that Carter was a "remarkable leader". [18] Former presidents Barack Obama, George W. Bush, and Bill Clinton paid tribute to Carter, as did former vice president Al Gore. [19] His death was mourned by Brazilian president Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, British prime minister Keir Starmer, King Charles III, [20] Canadian prime minister Justin Trudeau, Chinese president Xi Jinping, [21] Cuban president Miguel Diaz-Canel, Dutch prime minister Dick Schoof, Egyptian president Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, European Council president António Costa, French president Emmanuel Macron, German chancellor Olaf Scholz, Hungarian prime minister Viktor Orbán, Japanese prime minister Shigeru Ishiba, Panamanian president José Raúl Mulino, Philippine president Bongbong Marcos, [22] Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy, and Pope Francis. [23]

Iranian state television's coverage of Carter's death mentioned him as the "architect of economic sanctions" against Iran. [24]

Memorial service and state funeral

Planning for Carter's death had begun several years prior, according to The New York Times . Carter's remains will be taken by motorcade to Atlanta, from Phoebe Sumter Medical Center in Americus, Georgia. Carter's remains will stop at this home in Plains, where the National Park Service will salute Carter, and his farm's bell will be run 39 times. Carter's remains will also stop at the Georgia State Capitol for a moment of silence and then taken to the at the Carter Center, where he will lie in repose from January 4 to 7. On January 7, Carter's remains will travel to Washington, D.C., on a military flight under the call sign Special Air Mission 39 from Dobbins Air Reserve Base to Joint Base Andrews. [25]

Upon arrival at Joint Base Andrews, Carter's remains will be taken by motorcade to the United States Navy Memorial. Carter's remains will then taken by a horse drawn caisson to the United States Capitol in a funeral procession. He will lie in state at the United States Capitol beginning January 7 to the morning of January 9 in the rotunda.

A state funeral service will be held at Washington National Cathedral on January 9, 2025. [26] [27] Biden is set to deliver Carter's eulogy. In addition, Jason Carter, Carter's grandson, will deliver a speech. Eulogies will be delivered by Steven Ford on behalf of his father, Gerald Ford, who died in 2006, and Ted Mondale on behalf of his father, Walter Mondale, who died in 2021. [28] [29]

After the service at the Washington National Cathedral, Carter will be transported back to Georgia on a military flight under the same call sign from Joint Base Andrews back to Lawson Army Airfield at Fort Moore. Upon arrival back in Georgia, Carter's remains will travel by motorcade to Maranatha Baptist Church in Plains for a private funeral service. After the service at Maranatha Baptist Church, Carter's remains will be taken by motorcade back to Carter's home for a private interment. Initial plans stated that Carter would be transported by train, but he objected.

President Joe Biden ordered flags to be lowered to half-staff for thirty days in accordance with federal law, including at president-elect Donald Trump's second inauguration. [30] Governors then issued executive orders honoring Carter and lowering flags in their states to half-staff. [31]

See also

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References

  1. ↑ Sullivan, Kevin (February 18, 2023). "Former president Jimmy Carter opts for home hospice care for final days". The Washington Post .
  2. ↑ Barrow, Bill (February 18, 2023). "Carter Center: Former President Jimmy Carter in hospice care". AP News. Associated Press . Retrieved February 18, 2023.
  3. ↑ McKend, Eva; Rose, Andy (February 25, 2023). "Jimmy Carter's children and grandchildren remain at his side during hospice care, relative says". CNN.
  4. ↑ "99 days until Jimmy Carter turns 99". Fox 5 Atlanta . June 24, 2023.
  5. ↑ Pengelly, Martin (August 20, 2023). "Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter in 'final chapter', ex-president's grandson says". The Guardian .
  6. ↑ Irwin, Lauren (September 15, 2023). "Jimmy Carter, Rosalynn 'coming to the end,' grandson says". The Hill .
  7. ↑ Sutton, Joe; D'Antonio, Isabelle (September 23, 2023). "Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter visit Georgia festival ahead of former president's 99th birthday, Carter Center says". CNN Politics. CNN.
  8. ↑ Iyer, Kaanita (November 17, 2023). "Former first lady Rosalynn Carter enters hospice care". CNN Politics. CNN.
  9. ↑ Arkin, Daniel (November 19, 2023). "Rosalynn Carter, former first lady and tireless humanitarian who advocated for mental health issues, dies at 96". NBC News.
  10. ↑ Rojas, Rick; Fortin, Jacey (November 28, 2023). "Americans Glimpse Jimmy Carter's Frailty and His Resolve". The New York Times .
  11. ↑ Reilly, Katie (January 20, 2017). "How Jimmy Carter Beat Cancer and Became the Oldest President to Attend an Inauguration". Time. Archived from the original on January 20, 2017. Retrieved January 20, 2017.
  12. ↑ Jacobo, Julia (March 21, 2019). "Jimmy Carter is poised to be the president who has lived the longest in US history". ABC News. Archived from the original on August 24, 2019. Retrieved October 8, 2019.
  13. ↑ Barrow, Bill (March 22, 2019). "Jimmy Carter's new milestone: Longest-lived U.S. president". The Detroit News. Archived from the original on March 22, 2019. Retrieved March 22, 2019.
  14. ↑ Carlson, Adam (October 15, 2019). "Jimmy Carter: Why I Chose Habitat and How I Keep Going". People. Archived from the original on March 5, 2023. Retrieved March 8, 2023.
  15. ↑ Sullivan, Kevin; Walsh, Edward (December 29, 2024). "Jimmy Carter, 39th president and Nobel Peace Prize winner, dies at 100, his son says". The Washington Post. Retrieved December 29, 2024.
  16. ↑ Suggs, Ernie; Quinn, Christopher (December 29, 2024). "Former President Jimmy Carter dies at 100". The Atlanta Journal-Constitution . Retrieved December 30, 2024.
  17. ↑ Rojas, Rick; Baker, Peter (December 29, 2024). "Jimmy Carter Dies at 100". The New York Times . Retrieved December 29, 2024.
  18. ↑ Forrest, Jack (December 29, 2024). "President Joe Biden says America lost a "remarkable leader" in Jimmy Carter". CNN . Retrieved December 29, 2024.
  19. ↑ Ruberg, Sara; Livni, Ephrat; Levenson, Michael (December 29, 2024). "U.S. presidents pay tribute to Carter". The New York Times . Retrieved December 29, 2024.
  20. ↑ Houck, Caroline (December 29, 2024). "World leaders mourn Jimmy Carter while celebrating his legacy". The New York Times . Retrieved December 29, 2024.
  21. ↑ Xie, Kawala; Magnier, Mark (December 30, 2024). "China mourns death of former US president Jimmy Carter, 'promoter' of diplomatic ties". South China Morning Post . Retrieved December 30, 2024.
  22. ↑ Quevado, Richbon (December 30, 2024). "Marcos pays tribute to the late Jimmy Carter". Daily Tribune . Retrieved December 30, 2024.
  23. ↑ Hira Humayun; Michael Rios (December 30, 2024). "How world leaders are reacting to Jimmy Carter's death". CNN. Retrieved December 30, 2024.
  24. ↑ "In Iran, late Jimmy Carter remembered as 'architect of sanctions'". France 24. December 30, 2024.
  25. ↑ "JTF-NCR/USAMDW > Ceremonies/Events > National Events > State Funerals". jtfncr.mdw.army.mil. Retrieved December 31, 2024.
  26. ↑ Miranda, Shauneen (December 30, 2024). "Late President Jimmy Carter to lie in state at U.S. Capitol next week • Washington State Standard". Washington State Standard. Retrieved December 30, 2024.
  27. ↑ "Jimmy Carter, the 39th US president, has died at 100". AP News. December 29, 2024. Retrieved December 30, 2024.
  28. ↑ Baker, Peter (December 30, 2024). "Carter Funeral Service to Be Held at Washington National Cathedral on Jan. 9". The New York Times . Retrieved December 30, 2024.
  29. ↑ "Jimmy Carter's Funeral Will Be Held on Jan. 9 in Washington". December 30, 2024. Archived from the original on December 30, 2024. Retrieved December 30, 2024.
  30. ↑ House, The White (December 30, 2024). "Proclamation Announcing the Death of James Earl Carter, Jr". The White House. Retrieved December 30, 2024.
  31. ↑
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