National Funeral, Flyover, and Tributes to America’s 39th President
The nation will begin honoring the life and legacy of Jimmy Carter on Saturday, commencing a meticulously planned six-day farewell for America’s longest-lived president, who passed away on December 29 at the age of 100 in Plains, Georgia.
Carter’s state funeral begins with a poignant procession as Secret Service agents from his current and former protective detail carry his casket to a hearse for a ceremonial tour through Plains. The motorcade will pause at his boyhood peanut farm, where a bell will toll 39 times to honor his place as the 39th president.
The journey continues to Atlanta for a stop at the Georgia Capitol, where Carter once served as a state senator and governor, followed by a moment of silence. His body will then rest at the Carter Presidential Center, allowing the public to pay respects from Saturday evening through Tuesday morning.
On Tuesday, Carter’s remains will be flown from Georgia to Joint Base Andrews aboard a US Air Force plane designated *Special Air Mission 39*. In Washington, a motorcade will transport his body to the US Navy Memorial. A horse-drawn caisson will lead a solemn procession to the Capitol, where Carter will lie in state in the rotunda until Thursday morning, guarded by military honor personnel.
A national funeral service is scheduled for Thursday at the National Cathedral, a venue that has hosted state funerals for past presidents such as Eisenhower, Reagan, Ford, and George H.W. Bush. President Joe Biden will deliver a eulogy for his fellow Democrat, with all living former presidents—Clinton, George W. Bush, Obama, and Trump—expected to attend.
Biden has declared Thursday a national day of mourning, ordering flags to be flown at half-mast for 30 days in Carter’s honor.
Read also: Jimmy Carter, 39th U.S. President, Dies at 100
After the cathedral service, Carter’s body will be flown back to Georgia for a private funeral at his hometown Baptist church, where he once taught Sunday school. A motorcade will then carry his casket to a burial plot at his residence.
The ceremonies will conclude with a US Navy jet flyover honoring Carter’s naval service before he is laid to rest beside his wife of 77 years, Rosalynn Carter, who passed away in 2023.
Jimmy Carter leaves behind a legacy of humility, service, and commitment to his country—a life celebrated through this historic farewell.
