Steven Ford at Pres. Carter Funeral: "It's an honor to share my Dad's eulogy to his old friend."

um before I start the The Carter children um my wife and I were sitting several rows behind you and I we were praying for you and I was humbly reminded that it was 18 years ago almost to the day that that our family sat in that very row and supporting my mom and it was your dad and his great faith that supported my mom and gave her hope that week he he traveled with us for several days and we were blessed so thank you God did a a good thing when he made your dad Jack chip Jeff Amy Mr President uh Madam vice president former presidents first ladies members of the House of Representatives and the Senate justices of the Supreme Court distinguished guests ladies and gentlemen in the Twilight of My Dad's life uh dad and President Carter spoke by phone and dad asked President Carter if he would do a eulogy at dad's funeral President Carter graciously agreed and then he also asked if Dad would deliver a eulogy at President Carter's funeral now dad was thrilled to agree uh after that call as you can imagine uh both of them got off the phone and had a pretty good chuckle considering which one of them would return in person to deliver that second eulogy as you know dad died in 2006 and President Carter's eulogy continues to bring uh Comfort smile laughter Joy Pride to to our family um and thus on behalf of my dad it's an honor to share dad's eulogy to his old friend I I can just see my dad getting his his yellow legal pad out with his pen and and writing this for his beloved Friend by fate of a brief season Jimmy Carter and I were Rivals but for the many wonderful years that followed friendship bonded us as no two presidents since John Adams and Thomas Jefferson it is said that President Adams last words were Thomas Jefferson still survives now since Jimmy has a good decade on me I'm hedging my bets by entrusting my remembrances of Jimmy to my son Steve according to a map it's a long way between Grand Rapids Michigan and Plains Georgia but distances have a way of of Vanishing when measured in values rather than miles and it was because of our shared values that Jimmy and I respected each other as adversaries even before we cherished one another as dear friends now this is not to say that Jimmy never got under my skin but has there ever been a group of politicians that didn't do that to one another during our 1976 contest Jimmy knew my political vulnerabilities and he successfully pointed them out now I didn't like it but little could I know that the outcome of that 1976 election would bring about one of my deepest and most enduring friendships in the summer of 1981 the two of us found ourselves together again this time aboard Air Force One Bound for the funeral of the Great Peacemaker anoir Sadat there's a old line to the effect that two presidents in a room is one too many frankly I wondered how awkward that long flight might be to Cairo and it was a long flight but the return trip was not nearly long enough for it was somewhere over the Atlantic that Jimmy and I forged the friendship that transcends politics we immediately decided to exercise one of the Privileges of a former president forgetting that either one of us had ever said any harsh words about the other one in the heat of battle then we got on to much more enjoyable subjects discussing our families our faith and sharing our experiences in discovering that there is indeed life after the White House we commiserated over the high cost of building presidential libraries and the even more regrettable fact that most of that fundraising for these otherwise admirable institutions fell to us personally on the spot we agreed to participate in programs at each other's Library beginning beginning with a series of conferences on arms control and if that wasn't newsworthy enough we told reporters on the plane that a lasting Middle East peace would require the United States to make tough decisions like confronting the Palestinian issue directly thereby building on the work to which president dot had literally given his life it was the first time but by no means the last time that our unlikely partnership ruffled feathers in the Washington establishment now honesty and truthtellah traits were instilled in him by his loving parents Lillian and Earl Carter and the strength of his honesty was was reinforced by his upbringing in the ru South poised on the brink of social transformation he displayed that Honesty throughout his life as a naval officer state legislator Governor president world leader for Jimmy Carter honesty was was was not a aspirational goal it was part of his very Soul now I think Jimmy wrote more books than any former president once asked if he really enjoyed writing he replied with that familiar twinkle in his eye at beats picking cotton but I I think he enjoyed writing for another reason as an author he was under no pressure to tailor his opinions to some political constituency or potential contributor now both of us had experienced the harsh reality that defeat at the polls can be painful but we also came to know a more important consequence political defeat and writing can also be liberating if it frees you to discuss topics that aren't necessarily consistent with short-term political popularity now Jimmy learned early on that it it was not enough merely to Bear witness and a Pew on a Sunday morning inspired by his faith he he pursued Brotherhood across boundaries of nationhood across boundar Aries of tradition across boundaries of cast in America's Urban neighborhoods and in rural Villages around the world he reminded us that Christ had been a carpenter and in third world Villages he successfully campaigned not not for votes but for the eradication of diseases that shame the developed world as they ravage the undeveloped one now of course not all of Jimmy's time was spent building houses eradicating disease brokering ceasefires monitoring elections while Jimmy is probably the only former president to conduct a weekly Bible class I I know for certain he is the only former president to perform a duet of on the road again with Willie Nelson [Music] Georgia wasn't just on Jimmy's mind it was in his blood however far he traveled he he never forgot where he came home to or where now in the end he would finally come home to of the of the many things Jimmy and I had in common the most important is this we both married way above ourselves way above with Jimmy every step of away was his first lady from Plains in a life rich with blessings none was greater for Jimmy than his the love he shared with Roselyn and the love the two of them shared with their their children grandchildren great grandchild like Jimmy rosn was and is a symbol of American compassion like no other first lady in our history rosn Carter is indeed a true citizen of the world and she became a beloved friend to my wife Betty and me and to all the Ford family while the Carter and Ford men were decidedly mixed record when it came to lobbying Congress uh Roslin and Betty were unbeatable in their advocacy from millions of people whom they brought out of the Shadows of Despair and shame now is a a time to say goodbye or our our grief comforted with the joy and the Thanksgiving of of knowing this man this beloved man this very special man he was given the gift of years and the American people and the people of the world will be forever blessed by his Decades of Good Works Jimmy Carter's legacy of peace and compassion will remain unique as it is timeless the entire Ford family we extend our love to you um and we add our prayers to the prayers of tens of millions of people around the world may God bless and watch over this this good man may he Grant peace to the Carter family as they say goodbye to a man whose life was lived to the full with the faith demonstrated in countless good works with a mission richly fulfilled and a soul rewarded with everlasting life as for myself [Music] Jimmy I'm looking forward to our reunion we have much to catch up on thank you Mr President welcome home old old friend