JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Jimmy Carter, the nation’s 39th President and Nobel Prize winner, died Sunday, his family confirmed. He was 100 years old.
Former President Jimmy Carter’s commitment to community service left an indelible mark in Jacksonville, especially in the Fairway Oaks community.
In 2000, Carter collaborated with Habitat for Humanity to construct affordable housing, a project that saw around 100 homes built in the area. Local volunteers, including PGA Tour employees, joined Carter in the effort, demonstrating a shared dedication to making a difference.
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Among the notable volunteers was former PGA Tour commissioner Tim Finchem, who previously served as a deputy advisor in Carter’s administration. Finchem recalled the overwhelming response from employees when Carter invited them to participate in the Jacksonville project.
His memories, shared on the PGA Tour’s website, highlight the deep respect and admiration Carter inspired in those who worked with him.
Video archives show Carter working alongside volunteers in the Fairway Oaks neighborhood, underscoring his hands-on approach to service.
His partnership with HabiJax, a local Habitat for Humanity affiliate, contributed significantly to providing affordable housing in Jacksonville.
Jacksonville Mayor Donna Deegan and Senator Rick Scott are among those reflecting on Carter’s extraordinary life and legacy. Mayor Deegan described Carter as a “servant leader” and recalled attending his Sunday School class in Georgia in 2019. Senator Scott emphasized Carter’s lifelong dedication to public service and charitable efforts.
Godspeed to former President Jimmy Carter, a man who defined what it means to be a servant leader. His was a life well lived. I will never forget Sunday School with him at Marantha Baptist Church in 2019. His lessons of pursuing peace and acts of kindness ring just as true today. https://t.co/lwqe6zg3Vh
— Mayor Donna Deegan (@MayorDeegan) December 30, 2024
Beyond Jacksonville, Carter’s work with Habitat for Humanity spanned 14 countries, contributing to the construction, renovation, or repair of more than 4,400 homes. His life exemplified a profound commitment to improving lives and fostering community connections.
John Delaney, the former mayor of Jacksonville and current president of Flagler College, spoke to News4JAX about Jimmy Carter’s legacy.
Delaney also spoke to The Florida Times-Union about what he remembers about Jimmy Carter.
“David Hicks chaired HabiJax … He found an unknown tax credit provision in Florida law that he tapped into to catapult Jacksonville into building more Habitat homes every year than any place else in the world,” Delaney said. “He developed a plan to build 100 HabiJax homes at the same time, in a short time. Jimmy Carter agreed to come to town to help out, and his wife Rosalynn came too.
“I met them both at the site. Rosalynn was friendly and chatty and shook hands with anyone who came up. They both handled brief media interviews. Jimmy was a bit of a curmudgeon, nice but blunt. He was not much into small talk that morning. After a few minutes of shaking hands, he’d had enough: ‘Come on Rosalynn, we came here to work, not talk!’ And off he went, hammer in hand! She quickly followed.
“It was blazingly hot that day. I even got dizzy myself and I worked construction on framing and roofing crews during summers while in college. Jimmy was dressed in a long-sleeved denim shirt and blue jeans, with a bandana around his neck. As I recall, they worked most of the day with few breaks. And I mean it was brutally hot. Quite a couple. He did not come to be a showpiece, he literally came to work.”
John Delaney quotes from Jacksonville.com | The Florida Times-Union
A Jacksonville city council member also reflected on the life and legacy of Former President Jimmy Carter. “Jacksonville City Councilman Rahman Johnson expresses his heartfelt condolences on the passing of President Jimmy Carter, a man whose extraordinary life brought peace, hope, and compassion to millions,” a release stated.
“President Carter lived a life full of service, sacrifice, and love for others. From his early days in Georgia to becoming the 39th President of the United States, he remained grounded in his values, always focused on helping those in need and making the world a better place.
I had a chance to meet President Carter in 2000 at the Democratic National Convention in Los Angeles. I was a newly elected in 1998 and was one of the youngest delegates at the convention. He gave me some very valuable words of wisdom. He and Mrs. Carter spent about 20 minutes with me. It’s 20 minutes I will never ever forget. He shared lessons of humility and pragmatism that I will always cherish.
Though we mourn his passing, we celebrate an incredible legacy. His work toward peace in the Middle East, his dedication to human rights through the Carter Center, and his countless hours spent building homes with Habitat for Humanity all stand as testaments to his unwavering commitment to making the world better one action at a time.
President Carter’s life reminds us that true greatness is not measured by titles, but by the love and impact we leave behind. His memory will live on in the hearts of all those who were touched by his kindness and dedication.
My warm thoughts and prayers of strength are with his family as we join the world in honoring a life well-lived.”
Jacksonville City Councilman Rahman Johnson