Jimmy Carter, former president, a devout Baptist, charity worker, and Sunday School teacher for decades has died at the age of 100, the only person to have held the highest office in the United States to reach a century.

The Carter Center announced his passing on Dec. 29 on X, formerly Twitter, saying, "Our founder, former U.S. President Jimmy Carter, passed away this afternoon in Plains, Georgia," a town of 700 people.

Carter was a peanut farmer and U.S. Navy lieutenant before going into politics, eventually serving one term as governor of Georgia and as president of the United States from 1977 to 1981.

Carter married Rosalynn Smith in 1946. In July 2023, the couple celebrated their 77th wedding anniversary, with their union currently standing as the longest marriage of any U.S. president.

Rosalynn Carter, died 13 months earlier than her husband at 96. He made his final public appearance in November 2023 to mourn her death.

Born in 1924, Carter came from a small farming town in Georgia. He graduated with a bachelor of science degree from the U.S. Naval Academy in 1946 and was the first Southern Baptist elected president.

Four children with Rosalynn survive Carter: Jack, Chip, Jeff, and Amy.

In March 2019, Carter became the longest-lived American president who also enjoyed the lengthiest post-White House life. People reported that his and Rosalynn's 77-year marriage was the longest of any first couple.

The Baptist Paper said Carter's public life reflected his mission.

"Remembered for his humanitarian efforts in the U.S. and around the world, Carter is best known to Southern Baptists for his vocal faith in Jesus and long tenure as a Sunday School teacher in his hometown of Plains, Georgia," said the paper.

He authored several faith-centered books, including his 1996 memoir "Living Faith" and the Bible-focused "Sources of Strength: Meditations on Scripture for a Living Faith."

During his term as Georgia's governor before his presidency, Carter served as honorary chair of Billy Graham's first evangelistic crusade in Atlanta in 1973. When the evangelist died in 2018, Carter called him an adviser and friend.

Elected U.S. President in 1976, Carter's single term in office was marked by economic hardship and unrest, including the 1979 hostage crisis in Iran, for which his administration was strongly criticized for the way it was handled.

During his presidency, Carter sought to broker peace between Israel and Egypt, foreshadowing how he would spend the rest of his life.

40 YEARS HELPING THE NEEDY

After leaving Washington, Carter and his wife, Rosalynn, dedicated more than 40 years to helping needy people.

They began volunteering with Habitat for Humanity in the mid-1980s, establishing the annual Carter Work Project to provide affordable housing in the U.S. and overseas.

After his presidency, the Carters returned to Plains, where he began teaching a 10 a.m. Sunday School class at Maranatha Baptist Church.

Over the years, the class attracted enough visitors to warrant special instructions on the church's website. Carter famously showed up for Sunday School just days after starting treatment for brain cancer in 2015.

Carter and his wife, Rosalynn, dedicated more than 40 years to helping people in need.

They began volunteering with Habitat for Humanity in the mid-1980s, establishing the annual Carter Work Project to provide affordable housing in the U.S. and overseas.

SOUTHERN BAPTIST ALMOST LIFELONG

A Southern Baptist for most of his life, Carter publicly left the denomination in 2000 over issues including the SBC's position on women and the pastorate.

A vocal proponent of the ordination of women, Carter described the Catholic Church's decision to only ordain men as discriminating "against women in a very abusive fashion," the Catholic Herald reported.

In 2000, when the Southern Baptist Convention voted to maintain its prohibition on female ordination, Carter wrote to some 75,000 Baptists, stating: "I have finally decided that, after 65 years, I can no longer be associated with the Southern Baptist Convention."

However, Carter remains arguably the most Christian president of the United States, with his faith informing much of his actions, commented the Catholic Herald.

UN Secretaru General Antonio Guterres said, "President Carter's leadership contributed significantly to international peace and security, including the landmark Camp David Accords, the SALT II Treaty and the Panama Canal Treaties.

"President Carter's commitment to international peace and human rights also found full expression after he left the presidency. He played a key role in conflict mediation, election monitoring, the promotion of democracy, and disease prevention and eradication."

Guterres said these and other efforts earned him the Nobel Peace Prize in 2002 and helped advance the work of the United Nations.

Carter was awarded the United Nations Human Rights Prize in 1998, the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 1999, and the Nobel Peace Prize in 2002.