Former President Jimmy Carter passes away at 100
For many, the news of the passing of former President James Earl “Jimmy” Carter today at the age of 100 is a national, even an international story. For many of us in Georgia, however, it’s an intensely personal story. It didn’t matter if you were a Yellow Dog Democrat or a Conservative Reagan Republican, it became somewhat of a political rite-of-passage in Georgia to at one point make the trek down to Plains, GA to be taught Sunday School in the little Maranatha Baptist Church by the former Leader of the Free World.
My family made that trip in July of 2019. I knew Mr. Jimmy, as he was affectionately called by the locals who had known him their whole lives, may not be teaching every other Sunday for much longer. At the age of 94, he’d already had some health issues, including a bout with cancer. Little did we know that in a few short months, a global pandemic would add to the concerns of his advancing age, putting an end to those bi-monthly Bible lessons for good.
The Sunday we went, July 7, happened to be the Carter’s 73rd wedding anniversary. Because of the Secret Service, we had to be at the church by 5:00 AM (Sunday School didn’t start until 10:00 AM) which gave us plenty of time to mingle with both local church members and visitors who came, not just from all over Georgia, but from across the globe for a simple Sunday School lesson.
The local members made you feel like you had been going to Maranatha Baptist Church your whole life. It was warm and welcoming. Many I met that day, including Pastor Tony Lowden, I’m still friends with today. Some of the local church members talked about what a good man Mr. Jimmy was, but jokingly added that they still would never have voted for him. A reminder that you can like a person, even if you don’t share their politics.
While we waited for the Carters to arrive, we were told stories by Mr. Jimmy’s niece and others in the community. We learned about his passion for woodworking (the collection bowls and the cross behind the alter were both made by the former President). Mr. Jimmy’s lesson was brief, and peppered with stories of his own visits to Israel and a swipe at the media. Afterwards, Tony Lowden turned the pulpit over to the National Chaplain for the Secret Service who, with it being the Sunday after Independence Day, gave a great sermon on our nation’s Christian heritage.
After the sermon, the guests were invited to have their picture taken with the First Couple. Jill Stuckey would start snapping photos with your phone and hopefully one or two would turn out. My then seven-year-old son, Alexander, raced up to the former President excitedly proclaiming that he had learned about Mr. Carter in school that year. Mr. Jimmy’s eyes lite up and his signature huge smile came across his face as he eagerly engaged a couple of minutes with my son.
A few moments later, we were back in the car and headed to see what else there was to see in Plains…the school the Carters attended, now a museum. The giant peanut with Carter’s signature grin. His brother, Billy Carter’s, gas station.
Ms. Rosalynn passed away last year on November 19, 2023. She was 96. They had been married 77 years.
Now, a little more than 14 months later, Mr. Jimmy has rejoined her.
There will be a lot written and spoken in these next few days about the life the former President lived from his humble roots in Plains, to his service in the U.S. Navy after attending the Naval Academy in Annapolis, MD. His political career in Georgia and in D.C., and mostly, what he made of his post-presidency. The good and the bad will be discussed, because he now belongs to history.
But for those of us in Georgia, Democrat or Republican, we will miss Mr. Jimmy and Ms. Rosalynn and the good they both tried to do and the example of the humble lives they both lead as good and faithful servants.
Rest in Peace Mr. Jimmy.
