Gerald Ford Tells Jimmy Carter "Welcome Home Old Friend" in Eulogy

Before President Jimmy Carter is laid to rest, his colleagues and loved ones are honoring his life.

Additionally, it’s worth noting that President Gerald Ford was part of this arrangement with President Carter, agreeing to write and deliver each other’s eulogies at their respective funerals while they were both alive. However, since Ford passed away in 2006, being 11 years older than Carter, he selected his son, Steven Ford, to read the eulogy instead of him. This task was carried out by Steven during the funeral held on January 9th at the National Cathedral.

For a short while during our careers, Jimmy Carter and I were competitors,” the youngest Ford son stated. “However, for numerous years afterward, our friendship grew so strong that it mirrored the bond between John Adams and Thomas Jefferson.

He went on, poring over his father’s text, “On a map, the journey from Grand Rapids, Michigan, to Plains, Georgia, appears lengthy. However, when evaluated by values instead of miles, distances can seem insignificant. It was our mutual values that allowed Jimmy and I to view each other as worthy opponents, long before we held one another in deep affection.

Moreover, even though the late president found Carter to be irritating at times, Ford later reflected on their fierce competition during the 1976 election where Carter won as a democratic challenger against him, saying “I never imagined that the results of this contest would lead to one of my most treasured and lasting friendships.

Ford also recalled their journey to Egypt for President Anwar El-Sadat’s funeral in 1981, confessing he had apprehensions about the lengthy flight on Air Force One, humorously commenting, “It’s said that when two presidents are together, one is superfluous.

Instead of being too short, surprisingly, the journey proved longer than anticipated. As Ford penned, “The return leg of our trip didn’t suffice; it was over the vast Atlantic Ocean that Jimmy and I established a friendship surpassing political differences. We set aside any past disagreements, sparked by heated debates, and moved on to more enjoyable conversations about our families, our beliefs, and our lives post-White House, discovering together that life indeed continues beyond the White House.

In his tribute, Ford spoke about the numerous books penned by Carter during his life, as well as the selfless devotion that both he and his wife, Rosalynn Carter, demonstrated—a commitment to service, whether within or beyond the walls of the White House.

After all, he wrote, “Honesty and truth telling were synonymous with the name Jimmy Carter.”

Following the tribute he penned for his departed friend, extolling the blessings bestowed upon the American people and the global community through his countless acts of kindness over the years, Ford composed an advance greeting to Carter before his own passing.

Jimmy, I’m excited about our upcoming meeting. There’s a lot we need to talk about.” (Ford wrote this.)

“Thank you, Mr. President,” he concluded. “Welcome home old friend.”

For more from President Carter’s funeral, keep reading.

In late December, when Jimmy Carter, the ex-U.S. President, turned 100 and passed away, various leaders came together as one to express their heartfelt tributes to him.

For the very first time since the funeral of George H.W. Bush in December 2018, Carter’s service brought together all five living presidents – Biden, Trump, Obama, Clinton, and Bush.

Barack Obama, who was not with his wife Michelle Obama, took a seat next to Donald Trump prior to the presidential inauguration on January 20th.

The individual who is about to assume the position of vice-president, a transition that takes place towards the end of this month, was likewise present among those in attendance.

As a lifestyle enthusiast, I found myself in an interesting situation recently – sharing a seat with the younger sibling of King Charles III, during the announcement of Canada’s Prime Minister’s plans for stepping down from office. It was quite the gathering!