Legislators hail servant leader Carter who walked the walk
Published: 12-30-2024 3:32 PM |
Local officials and members of the area’s congressional delegation say Jimmy Carter, the nation’s 39th president, left a legacy of public service that will live on.
In a statement issued Sunday night, U.S. Rep. Jim McGovern said, “Jimmy Carter, both for what he did as president and in his later years, will be remembered as a decent, honest and down-to-earth man. He will be sorely missed. Jane and I send our condolences to the Carter family.”
State Sen. Jo Comerford described Carter as “one of the world’s greatest humans” who “exemplified what it means to be a public servant.”
“I remember his presidency so clearly because it shaped my own views of what government should be like and do for the people it serves,” Comerford said. “My father became active himself in local government, and he used to say it was largely because of Jimmy Carter’s example of service. I saw that and, again, it influenced my own beliefs in the idea that government should work in the best interests of everyone.”
U.S. Rep. Richard E. Neal wrote in a statement Sunday night that “James Earl Carter Jr. led a long and distinguished life committed to service and will be remembered for his humble, yet iron-will to do good unto others. Prior to running for elected office, I recall him working with the Habitat for Humanity in the early 1970s, rehabilitating homes throughout the City of Springfield. I had the privilege of meeting President Carter in 1976 at the Springfield Civic Center shortly after accepting the Democratic nomination.
Neal said that as the 39th president of the United States, Carter navigated the country through a time of great uncertainty in the nation’s institutions, serving during a post-Watergate, post-Vietnam War era.
“His remarkable sense of character and selflessness traced back to his humble beginnings in Plains, Georgia, and he upheld the same values in the Oval Office and throughout his life’s work,” Neal wrote. “Nobody ever disputed Jimmy Carter’s decency.”
Neal noted that when Carter left the presidency, he was only just getting started in his contributions to the world, from championing human rights to eradicating countless diseases and advancing democracy through the Carter Center.
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“President Carter was rightfully awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2002, modeling for the nation that a helping hand transcends any elected office,” Neal wrote. “My thoughts are with the entire Carter family during this difficult time. A grateful nation mourns the passing of this remarkable man, public servant, and paragon at age 100.”
One of the initiatives closest to Carter’s heart was Habitat for Humanity, an organization that builds new homes for low-income families or those with disadvantaged backgrounds.
“I actually did get to meet Jimmy Carter,” said Carolyn Read, executive director of Habitat for Humanity North Central Massachusetts. “We have a conference every two years (in Atlanta) and he and Rosalynn were at one when I first started 11 years ago.”
Regarding Carter’s passing, Read said, “I think it’s going to impact all of us. There are Jimmy Carter work projects every year and those are going to continue, even after his passing. He did work at all of his work projects and the international organization is just starting to look at also doing those in rural towns. So, we would be eligible to do a Jimmy Carter work project. We’re looking forward to doing that in the upcoming months.”
His legacy, said Read, will “absolutely” live on.
“He did so much around the world,” she said, “particularly on behalf of affordable housing — to highlight the need for it and to let people know what we were doing and how we’re helping families in need of safe and affordable housing. He’s definitely going to be missed, but his legacy will live on.”
State Rep. Susannah Whipps was just starting elementary school in Athol when Jimmy Carter was sworn in as the nation’s 39th president.
“I actually recall writing a letter to Amy Carter inviting her to a sleepover at my house,” said Whipps. “I just saw her on the television and I thought, ‘Wow, she might want to be my friend.’ So, I did write a letter, and I did get a stock letter from the White House thanking me for reaching out. I was in first or second grade. I just thought they seemed like a nice, normal family.
“But I am certainly familiar with his life after his presidency and his continued service to people in need and, of course, his work with Habitat for Humanity,” Whipps added. “His life was just one of public service and caring and grace. President and Mrs. Carter were shining examples of charity until their final days. They were still working well into their 90s. They were just amazing people.”