Jimmy Carter, the former President, 2002 Nobel Peace Prize winner and Habitat for Humanity volunteer, died on Sunday, at the age of 100.
Carter served a single term as president, from 1977 to 1981, and then blazed a trail as the longest-tenured post-President in U.S. history.
A U.S. Navy veteran, Carter, who served as governor of Georgia from 1971 to 1975, famously pardoned all Vietnam-era draft evaders on his second day in the White House, led peace talks in the Middle East, pursued nuclear weapons limitation talks with the Soviet Union, and oversaw the creation of the Department of Energy and Department of Education.
His post-presidency included service as a special envoy to the Middle East, diplomatic missions to North Korea, and his work with Habitat for Humanity – he volunteered his skills as a carpenter to the organization into his 90s.
Carter’s wife, the former First Lady, Rosalynn Carter, died in 2023 at the age of 96.
The Carters had been married for 77 years at her passing.
Reactions from Virginia leaders
Rep. Don Beyer, D-Eighth
“Jimmy Carter lived a life of kindness, compassion, and decency. He never forgot his roots as a Navy veteran and peanut farmer, never stopped fighting racism and oppression, and never stopped helping others or working to make the world a better place. A great human being.”
Rep. Gerry Connolly, D-11th
“Jimmy Carter was the best of us. An exemplary human being and a committed public servant, he was an underappreciated president who got consequential things done in his one term. I wish his family peace as they grieve this loss. A nation mourns with them.”
Rep. Abigail Spanberger, D-Seventh
“President Jimmy Carter led a life of service. He donned the U.S. Navy’s uniform, dedicated himself to his home state, ascended to the Oval Office, and was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for his commitment to global human rights. May his legacy continue to inspire generations.”
Susan Swecker, chair, Democratic Party of Virginia
“My first paid campaign job in politics was for Jimmy Carter’s re-election campaign in 1980 as a field organizer for the 6th Congressional District in Virginia. As a bright-eyed young American eager to get involved in politics, I saw President Carter embody the qualities we needed—courage, empathy, and integrity—both then and still, now.
“President Carter’s presidency and legacy remind us of what political leadership should aspire to be: a deep sense of moral responsibility, a commitment to service, and a focus on improving the lives of others. His enduring commitment to humanitarian causes, which lasted until the end of his life, serves as a powerful example of this.
“On behalf of a grateful Democratic Party of Virginia, I offer our deep condolences to President Carter’s children, grandchildren, and extended family. For generations to come, his memory will serve as a driving force for how we can do good in our communities. We thank him for his service to this country and for leaving the world a better place.”
U.S. Sen. Mark Warner
“Jimmy Carter gave me my first job out of law school, and I have deeply admired his service since leaving the Oval Office. His dedication to building homes through Habitat for Humanity has always brought back warm memories of my father, who also volunteered with the organization well into his eighties. Like much of the Greatest Generation, President Carter will be remembered by what he built and left behind for us – a model of service late into life, a tireless devotion to family and philanthropy, and a more peaceful world to call home.”
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Chris Graham
