The funeral observances for former President Jimmy Carter commence this Saturday in Georgia, marking the beginning of a six-day series of events to honor his life and legacy. Carter passed away on December 29 at the age of 100, and his funeral arrangements reflect his journey from a small-town upbringing to a significant global presence as a humanitarian and advocate for democracy.
Former Secret Service agents assigned to Carter during his presidency will serve as pallbearers, accompanying the hearse as it departs from the Phoebe Sumter Medical Center in Americus towards Plains, Georgia. This gesture pays tribute to Carter’s enduring connection to his roots in rural south Georgia, where he spent over 80 years of his life.
The motorcade will travel through Plains, passing landmarks significant to Carter’s life, including the hometown of his wife, Rosalynn, who passed away in November 2023, and their family-operated peanut warehouses. The journey will also pass the site of Carter’s 1976 presidential campaign headquarters and the church where he and Rosalynn married in 1946. Carter will be laid to rest next to his late wife at their home, a place they cherished throughout their lives.
Continuing the tribute, the procession will stop at Carter’s boyhood home and family farm in Archery, now part of the Jimmy Carter National Historical Park. The National Park Service will ring a bell 39 times to honor the 39th president. Despite being born in a hospital, an uncommon occurrence at the time, Carter’s upbringing was modest; he worked on his father’s farm during the Great Depression. His father’s death in 1953 redirected Carter’s path from a promising naval career to managing the family’s peanut business, laying the foundation for his political ascent.
The motorcade will then proceed to Atlanta, where Carter’s political career notably unfolded. The Georgia Capitol will host a moment of silence led by Governor Brian Kemp and Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens. From there, the procession moves to the Carter Presidential Center for a private service, followed by a public lying in repose period. This ceremony will involve The Carter Center’s global staff, highlighting Carter’s continued influence in international diplomacy and humanitarian efforts throughout his post-presidency.
Following these ceremonies in Georgia, Carter’s remains will be transported to Washington, D.C., to lie in state in the Capitol Rotunda. President Joe Biden will deliver a eulogy at a service in the Washington National Cathedral, attended by living presidents. The final chapter of these observances will return to Plains for Carter’s burial at Maranatha Baptist Church, where he was a long-time Sunday School teacher. Carter will be interred in a plot visible from his home, a fitting resting place for a man deeply connected to his origins.
Jimmy Carter’s state funeral not only commemorates a life of public service and dedication to humanitarian efforts but also reflects the personal and historical ties that defined his journey. As the nation bids farewell, these events remind us of his enduring legacy and the profound impact he made on both a national and global scale.
Source: Nbcmiami
