JIMMY Carter was a former US president who was elected to office in 1976 and served in the White House from 1977 to 1981.
Here’s more about the beloved 100-year-old and his remarkable life in politics and beyond.
Who was Jimmy Carter and how old was he?
James Earl Carter Jr – known affectionately as Jimmy – was the 39th President of the United States, serving one term in office from 1977 to 1981.
The Democrat stalwart served as a Georgia State Senator from 1963 to 1967 and as the 76th Governor of Georgia from 1971 to 1975.
Jimmy remained active in public life after leaving the White House.
In 2002, he was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for his work in co-founding the Carter Center.
Following the passing of his former Vice President Walter Mondale at 93 on April 19, 2021, he praised Mondale as the finest vice president to have served in our nation’s history.
Jimmy was raised in a wealthy family of peanut farmers in the southern town of Plains.
He graduated from the United States Naval Academy in 1946 with a Bachelor of Science degree.
He went on to join the US Navy where he served on the submarines.
Following his father’s death, he returned home to take over the family peanut business.
As he sought to expand his business ventures, Carter was inspired to challenge the prevailing racial segregation practices and show support for the burgeoning civil rights movement.
In the early 1960s, he became an activist within the Democratic Party and made his first foray into the world of politics.
Carter was sworn in as the 76th Governor of Georgia on January 12, 1971.
During his inauguration speech, he boldly proclaimed that “the era of racial discrimination has come to an end. … No individual, whether poor, rural, vulnerable, or black, should ever be subjected to the added hardship of being denied access to education, employment, or basic justice.”
President Carter then went on to live a relatively modest life in his old two bedroom house in his Georgia hometown.
He died on December, 29, 2024, in Plains, Georgia – the same spot where he was born back on October 1, 1924.
Who was his Jimmy Carter’s wife, Rosalynn?
Jimmy’s wife Eleanor Rosalynn Carter was born on August 18, 1927, and served as the First Lady of the United States from 1977 to 1981.
The former First Lady, who was married to her husband for 75 years, was a leading advocate for numerous causes throughout her lifetime.
She was politically active during her White House years, sitting in on Cabinet and policy meetings as well as serving as her husband’s closest adviser.
Rosalynn also served as an envoy abroad, with posts in Latin America.
She and Jimmy first dated in 1945 while he was attending the United States Naval Academy at Annapolis.
It’s believed Rosalynn had a crush on him after seeing him in his navy uniform.
She agreed to marry her husband-to-be in February 1946 when she went to Annapolis with his parents.
The two scheduled their marriage to take place on July 7, 1946 in Plains and kept the arrangement secret.
The couple shared four children: John William “Jack” (b. 1947), James Earl “Chip” III (b. 1950), Donnel Jeffrey “Jeff” (b. 1952), and Amy Lynn (b. 1967).
Due to Jimmy’s military duties, the first three were born in different parts of the country and away from Georgia.
They returned to Georgia when Jimmy’s father was dying.
After purchasing their first television set, the couple became fans of the New York Yankees and claimed they never went to bed arguing with each other.
Following their time in the White House, the couple established the Carter Center, a non-profit organisation in Atlanta.
They were unable to attend Joe Biden’s inauguration.
This was the first time they have missed the ceremonies since Jimmy was sworn in as president in 1977.
Rosalynn is a member of the Center’s Board of Trustees and participates in many of the Center’s programs, but gives special attention to the Mental Health Program.
Upon the death of Barbara Bush on April 17, 2018, 91-year-old Rosalynn became the oldest living former First Lady at the time.
How did Jimmy Carter die?
Jimmy Carter died on Sunday 29, December, 2024 nearly two years after going into hospice care.
His official cause of death is yet to be announced but his son Chip released a heartfelt statement confirming the death of his father.
He said: “My father was a hero, not only to me but to everyone who believes in peace, human rights, and unselfish love.
“My brothers, sister, and I shared him with the rest of the world through these common beliefs.
“The world is our family because of the way he brought people together, and we thank you for honoring his memory by continuing to live these shared beliefs.”
Carter, the beloved Democrat and Nobel Peace Prize winner, had experienced several health issues in recent years including melanoma that spread to his liver and brain.
In 2015, he beat brain and liver cancer, but in 2019, his health began to suffer again.
He chose hospice care over continuing medical treatment, the Carter Center announced on Saturday, February 18, 2023.
