Former US President Jimmy Carter’s six-day state funeral begins in Georgia

The six-day state funeral for former US President Jimmy Carter, who passed away on December 29 at the age of 100, began on Saturday in his hometown of Americus, Georgia. The solemn proceedings began with a motorcade carrying the Carter family to Phoebe Sumter Medical Center, a place deeply connected to the late president’s life.

Jimmy Carter, who served as the 39th President of the United States from 1977 to 1981, spent the majority of his 100 years in and around Americus, a town with fewer than 700 residents. The motorcade passed by landmarks such as the Methodist church where Carter married Rosalynn in 1946, and their home, where the couple spent their final days.

After the initial observances, Carter’s remains will be transported to Washington, D.C., where he will lie in state in the Capitol Rotunda. A memorial service is scheduled for Thursday at the Washington National Cathedral, where President Joe Biden will deliver the eulogy. All living US presidents are expected to attend.

As part of honoring Carter’s legacy, President Biden signed legislation to name a US Postal Service facility in Plains, Georgia, after Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter. After the national tribute, the Carter family will return to Plains for a private funeral service at the Maranatha Baptist Church, where Carter taught Sunday School for decades.