Former President Jimmy Carter, the 39th president of the United States who dedicated his life after leaving office to brokering international peace, has died.
Carter had been receiving hospice care since February 2023 at his home in Plains, Georgia, where he lived with his wife of 77 years, Rosalynn Carter. The former first lady, 96, died on Nov. 19, 2023.
Funeral services for the former Democratic president will begin on Saturday January 4, 2024.
His remains will be taken to the state capital in Atlanta, where he was honored in a moment of silence at the Capitol before a service at the Carter Center. From there, the late president and his family will travel to Washington, D.C.
The nation will honor Carter over six days of events.
More than being a president, Carter was also a devout Christian.
He was a lifelong Baptist who long taught a well-attended Sunday school class at his home Maranatha Baptist Church in Plains. He helped to model what it is for a true Christian to engage in politics.
President Carter strongly supported healthy boundaries between religion and government as president and opposed forcing students to pray in public schools. He understood the difference between the "freedom of religion" (the right to practice as you choose without persecution) and the "freedom from religion" (the protection of individuals from the government supporting and coercing a particular religion). The latter can and has been used as a wedge lately in the United States, breeding contempt for Christianity as those from different faiths attempt to co-exist.
Instead of forcing legislation ascribed to a single religion, he modeled his faith in how he lived his life and led with a deep love for others.
After leaving as president, Carter and his wife returned to live in their modest house that was built in 1961 in Plains, Georgia.
As a civilian, President Carter continued his commitment to social justice and human rights. He helped to fund initiatives abroad for health care and conflict resolution and started a coalition for Black and white Baptists. In addition, he started volunteering with Habitat for Humanity, donating his time and leadership to building affordable and decent housing for families across America.
According to Jonathan Reckford, CEO of Habitat for Humanity International, "We are grateful for the incredible impact the Carters have had on Habitat and on the families who have benefited from their shining example. The Carters put Habitat for Humanity on the map, and their legacy lives on in every family we serve around the world.”
President Carter dedicated his entire life to service and helping others, especially the less fortunate. His legacy will live on.
President Carter was 100 years old.
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