For former President Jimmy Carter who died on Sunday at his home in Plains, Georgia, at the age of 100, there will be two public observances—one in Atlanta and another in Washington, D.C., followed by a private interment, The Carter Center said in a statement.
Why It Matters
Carter was the longest living president in U.S. history.
What to Know
President Joe Biden said in a Sunday statement that he "will be ordering an official state funeral to be held in Washington D.C."
Details of the state funeral, which is a formal ceremony with traditions of lying in state, processions, religious services, military honors, and national mourning, will be released by the Joint Task Force-National Capital Region.
State funerals are typically a week to 10 days of events, with three stages, as outlined by the task force: "Stage I includes ceremonies within the state in which the president, former president, or president-elect was in residence. Stage II includes ceremonies within Washington, DC, and Stage III includes ceremonies in the state in which the authorized individual has chosen to be interred."
Last year, Biden said at a fundraiser that Carter "asked me to do his eulogy" when the time came. Newsweek has reached out to the White House for comment via email on Sunday.
The last presidential state funeral was held in 2018 for former President George H.W. Bush, who died from a form of Parkinson's disease at age 94. His funeral took place at the Washington National Cathedral, which has hosted four state funerals.
The 39th president is survived by his children, Jack, Chip, Jeff, and Amy, 11 grandchildren, and 14 great-grandchildren.
His wife, former first lady Rosalynn Carter, passed away last November. She was buried in Plains, Georgia, and Carter will rest in peace next to her. The couple was married for 77 years, the longest marriage in presidential history.
https://www.newsweek.com/jimmy-carters-funeral-service-public-observances-what-know-2007226
