Former President Jimmy Carter, 100, dies in hospice care

The former president died on Sunday, almost two years after entering hospice care on Saturday, Feb. 18, 2023. He had endured multiple short hospital visits before he chose to enter hospice and spend his remaining time with his family, according to the Carter Center. He survived cancer in 2015, but had to have surgery again in 2019 to relieve pressure on his brain. At 100, Carter was the oldest living former president in U.S. history.

What sort of person was Jimmy Carter? He taught Sunday school at his local church in Plains, Ga., for decades—even while battling brain cancer. He claimed a devout Christian faith throughout his public life, but disputed the doctrine of Biblical inerrancy, and articulated a soft stance on the sinfulness of homosexuality. His presidency is probably most well-known for the 1979 Iran hostage crisis, which many consider to have led to his loss to Ronald Reagan in the 1980 presidential election. He was preceded in death by his wife of 77 years. Former first lady Eleanor Rosalynn Carter died at 96 years old on Nov. 19, 2023. They are survived by four adult children and over 20 grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

Dig deeper: Read Juliana Chan Erikson’s story about Carter’s legacy of service.