Jimmy Carter was honored on Thursday for his remarkable personal humility and unwavering dedication to public service during a funeral held at the Washington National Cathedral. This event featured a degree of grandeur that the 39th U.S. president often avoided.
All of Carter’s living successors gathered for the occasion, including President Joe Biden, who was the first sitting senator to support Carter’s 1976 presidential campaign. Biden delivered a heartfelt eulogy. Following the funeral, Carter’s casket was returned to Georgia for a private service at his home church and burial beside his wife, Rosalynn Carter, with whom he shared 77 years of marriage.
Throughout the morning, Biden and several others paid tribute to Carter’s legacy, which has been assessed more positively by historians since his defeat in the 1980 election. Biden highlighted the former president’s character and achievements, stating, “He built houses for people who needed homes,” as recounted by Joshua Carter, one of Carter’s grandsons. Joshua expressed fond memories of his grandfather teaching Sunday school in his hometown of Plains, Georgia, after serving in the White House. “He worked to eliminate diseases in neglected areas and advocated for peace throughout the globe,” he said.
Another grandson, Jason Carter, humorously recalled the couple’s thriftiness, mentioning how they reused Ziploc bags, as well as his grandfather’s difficulties with cellphones. “They were small-town people who remained grounded irrespective of the circumstances they faced,” said Jason, who leads the Carter Center, a global humanitarian organization established by Jimmy and Rosalynn after their presidency.
The gathering provided a rare moment of unity in an otherwise polarized political climate, allowing rivals with deep differences to connect, at least temporarily. Former President Barack Obama and President-elect Donald Trump, who had exchanged jabs for years, were seen sharing a light moment together, demonstrating unexpected civility.
As Trump took his seat, he greeted his former vice president, Mike Pence, marking an unusual interaction given their rocky history. The two had a falling out following Pence’s refusal to support Trump’s attempts to contest Biden’s election victory. Notably, Karen Pence, the former second lady, remained seated and did not engage with Trump. Vice President Kamala Harris, who lost to Trump in a past election, arrived later and did not appear to interact with him. Michelle Obama, the former first lady, chose not to attend the service.
Political themes were woven into the memorial service. Biden, nearing the end of his term, repeatedly highlighted Carter’s character as his defining feature, asserting that Carter instilled the lesson that “everyone should be treated with dignity and respect.” He further emphasized the importance of rejecting hate and standing against “abuse of power,” sentiments that resonated with Biden’s usual critiques of Trump.
Carter passed away on December 29 at the age of 100, having outlived many prominent figures, including his vice president, Walter Mondale, and predecessor, Gerald Ford. Ford’s eulogy, read by his son Steven, reflected on their rivalry and subsequent friendship. “Although I was a rival for a short time, a bond of friendship united us in the years that followed, much like John Adams and Thomas Jefferson,” Ford said.
Although Carter triumphed over Ford in the 1976 election, they developed a close relationship, with Carter delivering a eulogy at Ford’s funeral. The ceremonies honoring Carter included a range of tributes from political leaders, business figures, and everyday citizens, all recognizing his integrity and industriousness.
The day’s formal proceedings began with military personnel carrying Carter’s flag-draped casket from the U.S. Capitol, where he had been laid in state, to the cathedral, accompanied by a 21-gun salute. At the cathedral, the Armed Forces Chorus performed the hymn “Be Still My Soul” as Carter’s casket was brought inside.
Mourners listened to remarks from 92-year-old Andrew Young, who served as mayor of Atlanta, a congressman, and a U.N. ambassador during Carter’s presidency. Young, who maintained a close friendship with Carter—bridging the gap between Black and white Georgians during the era of discrimination—affirmed that “Jimmy Carter was a blessing that helped shape an exceptional United States of America.”
The band played “Hail to the Chief” as Carter’s casket was removed from the cathedral, a tradition Carter himself had tried to forgo during his presidency, viewing it as excessive.
Thursday’s events wrapped up six days of national ceremonies that began in Plains, where Carter entered the world in 1924, lived much of his life, and ultimately passed away after 22 months of hospice care. The ceremonies continued in the state capital and Washington, where Carter, a former Naval officer and peanut farmer, had been laid in state since Tuesday.
After the service, Carter’s family, including his four children, traveled back to Georgia aboard a Boeing 747 that functions as Air Force One when the sitting president is present. A second, intimate service followed at Maranatha Baptist Church, where he taught Sunday school for decades after leaving office. His casket was to be placed beneath a wooden cross he crafted himself.
As Carter made his final journey through his hometown, passing the old train depot that served as his campaign headquarters in 1976, he was laid to rest on family land alongside Rosalynn, who passed away in 2023. Throughout his presidency, Carter advocated for honest governance and was known for his efforts in creating peace, signing crucial legislation, and facilitating a significant peace agreement between Israel and Egypt. Yet he also faced challenges such as inflation and international disputes, especially the Iran hostage crisis which had a lasting impact on his presidency, culminating in a defeat to Ronald Reagan in the 1980 election.
Former White House aide Stu Eizenstat used his eulogy to offer a perspective that recasts the Carter presidency as one of unrecognized success. He noted Carter’s role in deregulating transportation sectors, enhancing energy research, and establishing the Federal Emergency Management Agency. He also mentioned that Carter’s administration was responsible for securing the release of the American hostages in Iran, even if this ultimately occurred after Reagan took office. “While he may not be destined for Mount Rushmore, he certainly deserves to be remembered in its foothills,” Eizenstat concluded.
