Death and state funeral of Jimmy Carter

Death and state funeral of Jimmy Carter

Carter's casket being taken by a horse-drawn carriage down Washington, D.C.
Date	December 29, 2024 – January 9, 2025 (2024-12-29 – 2025-01-09)
Location	Washington, D.C., United States
Organized by	President Joe Biden
Burial	Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter House
Lying in state	United States Capitol

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 only president to have turned 100 years old.

Background

After many years of health problems, such as 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 more medical help.^[2] The following week after the announcement, it was said 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 was "in great spirits, visiting with family and still enjoying ice cream".^[4]

Death

On December 29, 2024, Carter died at his home in Plains, Georgia. Carter's son, James E. Carter III, announced his death at 3:45 p.m. EST.^[5]

Reactions

President Joe Biden delivering remarks about the death and legacy of Carter

President Joe Biden said 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."^[6] In an address from Saint Croix, Biden said that Carter was a "remarkable leader".^[7]

Former presidents Barack Obama, George W. Bush, and Bill Clinton paid tribute to Carter.^[8] Other world leaders such as French president Emmanuel Macron, European Council president António Costa, Dutch prime minister Dick Schoof, Canadian prime minister Justin Trudeau, Egyptian president Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, Panamanian president José Raúl Mulino, Brazilian president Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, British prime minister Keir Starmer, King Charles III,^[9] Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Cuban president Miguel Diaz-Canel, Bangladeshi Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus,^[10] Japanese prime minister Shigeru Ishiba, German chancellor Olaf Scholz and Hungarian prime minster Viktor Orban released statements mourning Carter.^[11] Senator Bernie Sanders, for whom Carter voted during the 2016 Democratic Party presidential primaries, stated that "Jimmy Carter, both for what he did as president and in his later years, will be remembered as a decent, honest and down-to-earth man."^[12][13]

In Carter's home state of Georgia, political leaders such as Governor Brian Kemp, former U.S. Senator Kelly Loeffler, the state's congressional delegation and many others by both Republicans and Democrats in Georgia released statements.

A moment of silence was held for Carter at the United Nations Security Council on December 30.^[14]

Funeral

Georgia memorial

On the morning of January 4, 2025, Carter's remains were taken by motorcade to Atlanta from Phoebe Sumter Medical Center in Americus, Georgia. The motorcade traveled to the Jimmy Carter National Historical Park in Plains and stopped at the house Carter and wife Rosalynn built and lived since 1962. It then travelled to his boyhood home in nearby Archery, where the National Park Service saluted him, and the farm's bell rang 39 times in honor of him being the 39th U.S. President.^[15] It then made its way to Atlanta,^[16] where his service as Governor of Georgia was honored at the Georgia State Capitol^[17] with a moment of silence led by Georgia Governor Brian Kemp, Lt. Governor Burt Jones, Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens, and members of the Georgia General Assembly.^[18] Carter's remains were then taken to the Carter Center.^[19] He lay in repose at the Carter Center from January 4 to 7.

Washington D.C. memorial services

Carter lying in state in the United States Capitol, January 7, 2025

On January 7, Carter's remains were taken from the Carter Center to Dobbins Air Reserve Base in Marietta, and were then flown to Joint Base Andrews in Maryland.^[20] Carter's remains were given a 21-gun salute while "Hail to the Chief" played.^[21][22] While the U.S. Air Force Band played a version of "Abide With Me", Carter's remains were then taken by motorcade to the United States Navy Memorial. Following another ruffles and flourishes ceremony where a Navy band played "Hail to the Chief" and the hymn "Just As I Am," the casket was taken to a horse-drawn carriage for a funeral procession to the United States Capitol while traveling with military members along the route which Carter took during his 1977 inaugural parade.^[23][24] The transfer site honored Carter's place as the only United States Naval Academy graduate to become president.^[25]

A service at the U.S. Capitol was attended by Vice President Kamala Harris, members of Congress, the Supreme Court, Governors, D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser, the Cabinet, ambassadors, and the Joint Chiefs was held for Carter.^[26]

State funeral

A state funeral is set to be held for Carter on January 9, 2025.^[27] President Biden also declared January 9 to be a National Day of Mourning throughout the United States.^[28] Biden is expected to deliver Carter's eulogy.^[29]

References

1. Sullivan, Kevin (18 February 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. 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.
6. Rojas, Rick; Baker, Peter (December 29, 2024). "Jimmy Carter Dies at 100". The New York Times. Retrieved December 29, 2024.
7. Forrest, Jack (December 29, 2024). "President Joe Biden says America lost a "remarkable leader" in Jimmy Carter". CNN. Retrieved December 29, 2024.
8. Ruberg, Sara; Livni, Ephrat; Levenson, Michael (December 29, 2024). "U.S. presidents pay tribute to Carter". The New York Times. Retrieved December 29, 2024.
9. Houck, Caroline (December 29, 2024). "World leaders mourn Jimmy Carter while celebrating his legacy". The New York Times. Retrieved December 29, 2024.
10. "Yunus pays tribute to late US president Jimmy Carter". The Daily Star. 31 December 2024. Retrieved 2025-01-01.
11. Humayun, Michael Rios, Hira (2024-12-30). "How world leaders are reacting to Jimmy Carter's death". CNN. Retrieved 2024-12-30.
12. "From Gov. Brian Kemp to Mike Pence, social media reacts to death of Jimmy Carter at 100". Yahoo News. 2024-12-29. Retrieved 2024-12-30.
13. "Jimmy Carter voted for Bernie Sanders over Hillary Clinton". NBC News. 2017-05-09. Retrieved 2024-12-30.
14. "Jimmy Carter is being mourned in his tiny hometown and around the world". Associated Press. 31 December 2024. Retrieved 31 December 2024.
15. Payne, Kate; Barrow, Bill (January 4, 2024). "Jimmy Carter's flag-draped casket is on its way to Atlanta as 39th president's state funeral begins". Associated Press. Retrieved January 4, 2024.
16. "Jimmy Carter funeral updates: Former president's casket driven to Atlanta for three days of public mourning". Yahoo News. January 4, 2025. Retrieved January 8, 2025.
17. "Jimmy Carter ceremonies updates: Former president to remain in Atlanta through Tuesday". Yahoo News. January 4, 2025. Retrieved January 8, 2025.
18. Fine, Camille (January 4, 2025). "Photos: Former President Jimmy Carter honored with services in Georgia". Savannah Morning News. Retrieved January 5, 2025.
19. Haney, Addie (January 4, 2025). "Re-watch:Jimmy Carter's funeral service at The Carter Center". 11 Alive. Retrieved January 4, 2025.
20. "State Funerals". jtfncr.mdw.army.mil. Retrieved 2024-12-31.
21. Atlanta News First (January 7, 2025). "1-gun salute honors former President Jimmy Carter as his body departs for Washington, D.C." YouTube. Retrieved January 7, 2025.
22. "Former President Jimmy Carter now lying in state in the Rotunda of the U.S. Capitol". WSB-TV Channel 2 - Atlanta. January 8, 2025. Retrieved January 8, 2025.
23. "A Commander-in-Chief's Final Journey Led by Military Tradition". January 7, 2025. Retrieved January 7, 2025.
24. https://www.foxnews.com/live-news/president-jimmy-carter-funeral-services%7Ctitle=Jimmy Carter’s body to lie in state at U.S. Capitol Rotunda as Congress members pay respects
25. Barrow, Bill; Cooper, Jonathan (January 7, 2025). "Jimmy Carter's remains arrive in Washington". Los Angeles, California: KABC-TV. AP. Retrieved January 7, 2025.
26. "State Funeral for former President Jimmy Carter: Sequence of Events for January 7, 2025". JTF-NCR/USAMDW. Retrieved 2025-01-07.
27. "Jimmy Carter, the 39th US president, has died at 100". AP News. 2024-12-29. Retrieved 2024-12-30.
28. "Proclamation Announcing the Death of James Earl Carter, Jr". The White House. 2024-12-30. Retrieved 2024-12-30.
29. Judd, Donald (2023-03-14). "Biden says Carter asked him to deliver his eulogy | CNN Politics". CNN. Retrieved 2024-12-30.