MOULTRIE — Local residents recently shared their reflections and remembrances of the late President Jimmy Carter, who died Sunday.

Carter, the 39th president, died at his home in Plains after entering hospice care more than a year ago. At 100 years old, he was the longest-lived US president. His wife, Rosalynn, preceded him in death in November of 2023.

Carter’s state funeral will be held Jan. 9 in Washington, D.C. President Biden has declared it a National Day of Mourning.

“I call on the American people to assemble on that day in their respective places of worship, there to pay homage to the memory of President James Earl Carter, Jr.,” Biden said in a statement. “I invite the people of the world who share our grief to join us in this solemn observance.”

Shirley Hampton, chair of the Colquitt County Democrat Party, said, “President Jimmy Carter was the first president I ever voted for. That moment sparked my journey in government and politics and led me to where I am today. From him, I learned a lot about how to treat people and the importance of character. Your character speaks for itself, and his certainly did.”

Hampton said Carter had a profound impact on her by teaching her to believe in herself and to always do what’s right. Also, by inspiring her to serve the entire community, not just one group or party.

“As the chairperson for the Democratic Party, I serve everybody. Jimmy Carter was a man for others,” she said.

Sid Collins, owner of Sid’s Antiques & Gifts, echoed Hampton’s sentiment. “He was just as nice as he could be, just a normal person. Very high standards. … and he cared about Plains and he cared about the United States and he cared about humanity,” Collins said.

Collins met and talked with Carter over the years because of his connection to the Carter family-at-large. Also, he was invited  by Carter to do business in Plains in its antique mall.

“He called in 2001 and asked if I would put a booth in the Plains Antique Mall. He had donated the building to the City of Plains,” he said.

Collins said that they were redoing Carter’s childhood home and the family had contacted him to buy 16 pieces from him for the home. He also said that the pieces have plaques on them that state, “Sid’s Antiques, Moultrie, Georgia.”

“When they did that, he called and asked if I would put a booth in and I told him I certainly would,” he said.

He said that about three weeks afterwards, there was a reception for the dealers who were putting in booths at the antique mall.

“He and his wife were there and just very nice and very cordial,” he added.

Collins said Carter took him around on a golf cart, showing him around and what they were going to do at the house. Of course the Secret Service was there, too, he added.

“I just hopped in the front seat with him and they were holding on to the back and off we went,” he said.

Collins said that he also went to another function for the dealers in the antique mall, at the Carters’ home.

He said that he was the only dealer that has been there since 2002, in the same booth.

“I told him as long as I could drive back and forth, I would keep it there. So, I did what I told him,” he added.

Collins said that Carter had stopped coming around the antique mall as much as he had in the past. He said, before that, there would be many times that Carter would be there when Collins was working in his booth.

“We’d walk around and look at the rooms upstairs. One time, he said, ‘Let’s hop on the elevator,’ then, ‘You’re young let’s go do the stairs’ and I said, ‘Well, do you want to do the stairs?’ and he said, ‘I’m going to do them as long as I can.’ We ran up the stairs instead of the elevator,” Collins said laughing.

He said, about four or five years ago, there was a parade in Plains while he was there. He said the Carters rode in a car in the parade and they smiled and waved at the crowd.

“You know, it gave you goosebumps just to see them out and about at their time of life,” he said.

He said that Rosalynn was just as sweet as Carter was and was very humble, too.

Carter and wife, Rosalynn, led the “Jimmy & Rosalynn Carter Work Project for Habitat for Humanity,” starting in 1984. They started a partnership with Habitat for Humanity, after working with the agency in Americus.

Carter said, about the housing program, “Habitat has successfully removed the stigma of charity by substituting it with a sense of partnership.”

The Habitat for Humanity website posted after his death, “We have been deeply honored to have two of the world’s most distinguished humanitarians as dedicated Habitat volunteers for more than 35 years. Throughout their involvement with the Jimmy & Rosalynn Carter Work Project, former U.S. President Jimmy Carter and former first lady Rosalynn Carter were tireless advocates, active fundraisers and some of our best hands-on construction volunteers.”

During her interview, Hampton spoke about the Carters’ mission of building homes for those who could not afford them. She said it made dreams come true for countless people. She said that his actions showed what it meant to love others and put them first.

“With Christ in your life, you’re called to serve, and President Carter exemplified that. He lived to a hundred years for a reason, accomplishing more than a hundred great deeds in his life,” Hampton said.

In 2002, Carter was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize “for his decades of untiring effort to find peaceful solutions to international conflicts, to advance democracy and human rights, and to promote economic and social development.”

When Hampton was asked how she thought Carter’s legacy as a humanitarian would influence future generations of Democrats, she responded, “Not only just Democrats — I believe President Jimmy Carter was a man of great character. He wasn’t just a Democrat; he was a man of God. When God is first in your life, you can accomplish a lot, and he did.”

She went on to say that he had achieved much for the United States. Everyone could learn something by looking back at his journey and the battles that he faced, she said.

When asked what steps could the nation take to reflect on and celebrate Carter’s values and achievements, Hampton responded, “First of all, love and respect everyone, because that’s what he was all about — respect and great character.”

Then, she said that, when reflecting on his legacy, it was evident that it carried a lot of weight. She said it didn’t matter how a person started but what they did in the middle and how they finished. His character showed in all that he did, she said.

“There will never be another one like him. There will be people that will follow in his footsteps but nobody just like him … or them. Because she (Rosalynn) was a big part of it, too. He didn’t do anything without her approval or comments, at least,” said Collins.

“For every year he lived, something good came from it. Each president — regardless of party — can learn from the life President Carter lived. He brought peace, honesty, and great character, which is what we need more of in the world today,” said Hampton.