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Jimmy Carter Presidential Funerals
FILE - A general view outside St. Matthew's Cathedral in Washington, D.C., during President John F. Kennedy's funeral, with flag-draped coffin in the foreground, Nov. 25, 1963. The president's brothers can be seen behind the casket. At left is Sen. Edward M. Kennedy (D-Mass.), and at right entering limousine is Attorney General Robert F. Kennedy. (AP Photo, File)

How American presidents have planned their own funerals

Jimmy Carter’s funeral will feature an interstate choreography of grief, ceremony and logistics that is characteristic of state funerals

By CHRIS MEGERIAN
Published - Dec 30, 2024, 07:07 AM ET
Last Updated - Dec 30, 2024, 07:07 AM EST

WASHINGTON (AP) — Jimmy Carter's memorial journey will end at his house in the tiny town of Plains, Georgia, where he grew up on a peanut farm. That is where his wife, Rosalynn, was laid to rest last year in a burial plot that they chose years ago.

But before Carter reaches his humble final destination, there will be an interstate choreography of grief, ceremony and logistics that is characteristic of state funerals. Ever since the nation’s founding, America has bid farewell to former presidents with an intricate series of events weaving together longstanding traditions and personal touches.

Funerals often are planned by the presidents themselves, who usually have years after leaving the White House to ponder how they want to be memorialized.

“They are very much involved in the planning process, and the decisions that they make tell us a lot about who they are, how they see the presidency, and how they want to be remembered by the American people,” said Matthew Costello, senior historian for the White House Historical Association, who co-wrote a book called “Mourning the Presidents: Loss and Legacy in American Culture.”

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