At Thursday’s national funeral service for former President Jimmy Carter at Washington National Cathedral, Steve Ford delivered a touching eulogy prepared years ago by his father, former President Gerald Ford, who died in 2006. Carter defeated Ford in the 1976 presidential election.
In the twilight of my dad’s life, Dad and President Carter spoke by phone and Dad asked President Carter if he would do a eulogy at Dad’s funeral. President Carter graciously agreed — and then he also asked if Dad would deliver a eulogy at President Carter’s funeral.
Now, Dad was thrilled to agree. After that call, as you can imagine, both of them got off the phone, had a pretty good chuckle, considering which one of them would return in person to deliver that second eulogy. As you know, Dad died in 2006 and President Carter’s eulogy continues to bring comfort, smile, laughter, joy, pride to our family. And thus, on behalf of my dad, it’s an honor to share Dad’s eulogy to his old friend.
I can just see my dad getting his yellow legal pad out with his pen and writing this for his beloved friend. — Steve Ford
By fate of a brief season, Jimmy Carter and I were rivals. But for the many wonderful years that followed, friendship bonded us as no two presidents since John Adams and Thomas Jefferson. It is said that President Adams’ last words were “Thomas Jefferson still survives.” Now since Jimmy has a good decade on me, I’m hedging my bets by entrusting my remembrances of Jimmy to my son Steve.
According to a map, it’s a long way between Grand Rapids, Michigan, and Plains, Georgia. But distances have a way of vanishing when measured in values, rather than miles, and it was because of our shared values that Jimmy and I respected each other as adversaries, even before we cherished one another as dear friends.
Now this is not to say that Jimmy never got under my skin — but has there ever been a group of politicians that didn’t do that to one another? During our 1976 contest, Jimmy knew my political vulnerabilities, and he successfully pointed them out. Now I didn’t like it, but little could I know that the outcome of that 1976 election would bring about one of my deepest and most enduring friendships.
Now I didn’t like it, but little could I know that the outcome of that 1976 election would bring about one of my deepest and most enduring friendships.
In the summer of 1981, the two of us found ourselves together again, this time aboard Air Force One, bound for the funeral of the great peacemaker Anwar Sadat. There’s an old line to the effect that two presidents in a room is one too many. Frankly, I wondered how awkward that long flight might be to Cairo — and it was a long flight, but the return trip was not nearly long enough. For it was somewhere over the Atlantic that Jimmy and I forged a friendship that transcends politics.
We immediately decided to exercise one of the privileges of a former president, forgetting that either one of us had ever said any harsh words about the other one in the heat of battle. Then we got on to much more enjoyable subjects, discussing our families, our faith, and sharing our experiences and discovering that there is, indeed, life after the White House.
We commiserated over the high cost of building presidential libraries — and the even more regrettable fact that most of that fundraising for these otherwise admirable institutions fell to us personally. On the spot, we agreed to participate in programs at each other’s library, beginning with a series of conferences on arms control. And if that wasn’t newsworthy enough, we told reporters on the plane that a lasting Middle East peace would require the United States to make tough decisions, like confronting the Palestinian issue directly, thereby building on the work to which President Sadat had literally given his life. It was the first time, but by no means the last time, that our unlikely partnership ruffled feathers in the Washington establishment.
Now, honesty and truth-telling were synonymous with the name Jimmy Carter. Those traits were instilled in him by his loving parents, Lillian and Earl Carter, and the strength of his honesty was was reinforced by his upbringing in the rural South, poised on the brink of social transformation. He displayed that honesty throughout his life as a naval officer, state legislator, governor, president and world leader.
For Jimmy Carter, honesty was not an aspirational goal; it was part of his very soul. Now I think Jimmy wrote more books than any former president. Once asked if he really enjoyed writing, he replied with that familiar twinkle in his eye: “It beats picking cotton.” But I think he enjoyed writing for another reason: As an author, he was under no pressure to tailor his opinions to some political constituency or potential contributor.
Now both of us had experienced the harsh reality that defeat at the polls can be painful. But we also came to know a more important consequence: Political defeat and writing can also be liberating, if it frees you to discuss topics that aren’t necessarily consistent with short-term political popularity.
Now Jimmy learned early on that it was not enough merely to bear witness in a pew on a Sunday morning. Inspired by his faith, he pursued brotherhood across boundaries of nationhood, across boundaries of tradition, across boundaries of caste. In America’s urban neighborhoods and in rural villages around the world, he reminded us that Christ had been a carpenter. And in Third World villages, he successfully campaigned — not for votes, but for the eradication of diseases that shamed the developed world as they ravaged the undeveloped one.
I know for certain he is the only former president to perform a duet of “On the Road Again” with Willie Nelson.
Now, of course, not all of Jimmy’s time was spent building houses, eradicating disease, brokering ceasefires, monitoring elections. While Jimmy is probably the only former president to conduct a weekly Bible class, I know for certain he is the only former president to perform a duet of “On the Road Again” with Willie Nelson. Georgia wasn’t just on Jimmy’s mind — it was in his blood. However far he traveled, he never forgot where he came home to or where, now, in the end, he would finally come home to.
Of the many things Jimmy and I had in common, the most important is this: We both married way above ourselves — way above. With Jimmy every step of the way was his first lady from Plains. In a life rich with blessings, none was greater for Jimmy than the love he shared with Rosalynn and the love the two of them shared with their children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
Like Jimmy, Rosalynn was — and is — a symbol of American compassion. Like no other first lady in our history, Rosalynn Carter is indeed a true citizen of the world. And she became a beloved friend to my wife, Betty, and me and to all the Ford family. While the Carter and Ford men were a decidedly mixed record when it came to lobbying Congress, Rosalynn and Betty were unbeatable in their advocacy for millions of people whom they brought out of the shadows of despair and shame.
Jimmy Carter’s legacy of peace and compassion will remain unique as it is timeless.
Now is the time to say goodbye — our grief comforted with the joy and the thanksgiving of knowing this man, this beloved man, this very special man. He was given the gift of years, and the American people and the people of the world will be forever blessed by his decades of good works.
Jimmy Carter’s legacy of peace and compassion will remain unique as it is timeless. The entire Ford family, we extend our love to you, and we add our prayers to the prayers of tens of millions of people around the world. May God bless and watch over this good man. May he grant peace to the Carter family as they say goodbye to a man whose life was lived to the fullest, with a faith demonstrated in countless good works, with a mission richly fulfilled, and a soul rewarded with everlasting life.
As for myself, Jimmy, I’m looking forward to our reunion. We have much to catch up on.
Thank you, Mr. President. Welcome home, old friend.