Special to the Herald

As the county continues to gather this week paying homage and tribute to the late former President Jimmy Carter, statements from the Democratic National Committee, the Georgia Historical Society, and Hospice of Savannah are notable.

Carter died Dec. 29, 2024, just over two months after his 100th birthday in October.

Jan. 9 has been declared a National Day of Mourning by President Joe Biden. A full list of the tributes and services for the late president is in the online edition of the Herald.

“It is with great sadness, a heavy heart, and fond memories that we mourn the loss of President Jimmy Carter — a man who exemplified what it means to serve on behalf of the American people. President Carter led by example, urging Americans to act with kindness, follow their moral compass, and speak truth to power,” said Jaime Harrison, chairperson of the Democratic National Committee.

Harrison said Carter’s legacy as Georgia’s governor in the early 1970s is as a trailblazer on environmental policy, civil rights, and desegregation in the state.

“Throughout his presidency, he was guided by his faith, his selfless commitment to others, and his empathy. President Carter aspired to build a government grounded in competence and compassion and leave behind a country where dreams are achievable, and hope is more than an aspiration,” Harrison’s statement continued.

In its tribute, the Georgia Historical Society stated, “As the only U.S. President from Georgia, Carter embodied the noble traditions of the founders of Georgia, Non Sibi Sed Aliis, “Not for Self, but for Others.” His service in the United States Navy and the Georgia legislature, as 76th Governor of Georgia, 39th President of the United States, diplomat, peacemaker, humanitarian, and Sunday School teacher, embody all that is good and noble about the people of Georgia.
“President Carter’s selfless service to his fellow man throughout a long and distinguished life was an example for all of us,” said W. Todd Groce, GHS President and CEO. “He will be remembered as a great leader and a man of integrity who always did his duty and left the world a better place.”
President Carter spent the past 22 months in hospice care, a point that Hospice Savannah notes in its tribute.

“Hospice Savannah was pleased to learn from the Carter Center in February (2023) that President Carter had chosen to entrust his care to hospice in his hometown of Plains, Georgia. While some mistakenly view the election of hospice as an acquiescence of curative treatment, the provision of hospice care afforded President Carter with palliative treatment in his home as well as support for his family,” Hospice Savannah wrote in its tribute. “He died peacefully receiving such care at 100 years old, surrounded by his family. 

“It comes as no surprise that President Carter would be proactive in enlisting his hospice benefit early in the trajectory of his illness. So many forget that hospice is an earned benefit and do not seek it out until it’s too late in their illness to reap all the benefits it provides,” said Dr. Kathleen Benton, president and CEO of Hospice Savannah, Inc. “Not only does hospice care for the patient, but it also offers a great deal of caregiver support as well.”