Reflections from luminaries regarding the life and legacy of the 39th President of the United Jimmy Carter are pouring in throughout the State of Georgia. President Carter passed away Sunday at the age of 100.
Sunday, Georgia Governor Brian Kemp released the following statement on the passing of Former President Jimmy Carter:
“Marty, the girls, and I join all Georgians and the entire nation in mourning the loss of former President Jimmy Carter.
As the only American president thus far to come from Georgia, he showed the world the impact our state and its people have on the country. And as a son of Plains, he always valued Georgians and the virtues of our state, choosing to return to his rural home after his time in public office.
Before becoming president, he worked to grow the state’s economic success and position on the national and international stages as a state senator and the 76th governor of Georgia. Under his leadership, the European and Japanese state trade offices were launched, as well as the Georgia Film Commission. He and former First Lady Rosalynn Carter’s support of the civil rights movement in the place of its birth is also remembered with deep appreciation.
When he left the White House, the Carters’ contributions continued. From teaching Sunday school to congregants and visitors alike over the years to their tireless work supporting Habitat for Humanity and the Carter Center’s efforts to address global health issues, Georgians are accustomed to seeing Jimmy Carter hard at work.
As the longest-lived president in history, perhaps his greatest distinction is the happy marriage he enjoyed with First Lady Carter, spanning over 77 years – also the longest of any former president. Their family continues to be in our prayers as President Carter is reunited with his beloved wife and the world mourns this native Georgian, former state and national leader, and proud peanut farmer from Plains.”
U.S. Senator Jon Ossoff issued the following statement:
“I extend my deepest condolences to Jack, Chip, Jeff, Amy, and the entire Carter family on their loss. A former Georgia State Senator, Governor of Georgia, and President of the United States, President Carter’s lifetime of work and dedication to public service changed the lives of many across our state, our country, and around the world.
Among his lifetime of service and countless accomplishments, President Carter will be remembered for his commitment to democracy and human rights, his enduring faith, his philanthropic leadership, and his deep love of family.
From Plains to across the State of Georgia, the United States, and around the world, millions will forever admire and appreciate all that President Carter did for the United States and for the global community.
The State of Georgia and the United States are better places because of President Jimmy Carter.
I join all Georgians and all Americans in mourning his loss. May Jimmy Carter’s memory be a blessing.”
Senator Reverend Raphael Warnock shared his thoughts on the passing of President Jimmy Carter
“President Carter was one of my heroes. His leadership was driven by love, his life’s project grounded in compassion and a commitment to human dignity. For those of us who have the privilege of representing our communities in elected office, Jimmy Carter is a shining example of what it means to make your faith come alive through the noble work of public service.
I’m honored to have had the opportunity to know President Carter—the first president I remember from my childhood, and someone with whom I developed a meaningful friendship. He brought his family to worship at my church. At a family dinner, I remember the President and his amazing wife, Rosalyn, holding my daughter, then just two months old, as if she were their own granddaughter. They were among my favorite people.
President Carter taught us through his example that it’s not the office you hold but the orientation you have that gives you the ability to serve effectively. A moral powerhouse, he moved us closer toward our highest ideals while in the governor’s mansion and the White House, but perhaps even more so after leaving the presidency. A former president, he got his hands dirty, literally building people’s homes while helping them build their lives. President Carter was a Matthew 25 Christian. He believed, as I do, that the true test of your faith is the depth of your commitment to the most marginalized members of the human family. I believe he passed that test and has now graduated into immortality. Democracies around the world are stronger and children across the globe are alive today because of President Carter’s work—what a legacy to leave.
Well done, good and faithful servant, well done.”
U.S. Representative Buddy Carter, GA-1, issues a statement after the passing of President Jimmy Carter
“President Carter was an amazing Georgian and a firm believer in Christ. Today, he goes to be with his beloved wife, Rosalynn, in Heaven.
Please join me in praying for the whole Carter family, the State of Georgia, and the country following this tremendous loss.”
Martin Luther King III and Arndrea Waters King issues statement on the passing of President Jimmy Carter
Arndrea and I send our heartfelt condolences to President Jimmy Carter’s family, especially his children and grandchildren. President Carter was a trailblazer, a fighter who punched above his weight. While history may have been hard on President Carter at times, today, he is remembered as a global human rights leader.
My father once said, “As long as there is poverty in this world, no man can be totally rich even if he has a billion dollars.” President Carter, like my father, saw poverty as one of the greatest threats and was determined to eradicate it. I was honored that he selected me to represent our country on two foreign delegations that led to the creation of the African Initiative, a program which sought to end starvation in Africa.
Over the years, my family found comfort in President Carter’s wise counsel and strong leadership. Even after he left office, he carried on the legacies that my family has long-championed, the eradication of the triple evils – poverty, racism, and violence. We will truly miss President Carter, but we know that he would not want us to be saddened by his death, but proud of the work we’ve accomplished together and resolved to continue the work he started for the generations that come after us. Rest in peace, President Carter. You’ve earned it.
