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President Jimmy Carter, the longest living U.S. president, died Sunday at age 100.
“It was sad to hear that our good neighbor Jimmy Carter had passed away today. He exemplified Jesus’ commands given in Matthew 22:37-39. The Stanly County Democratic Party extend our deepest condolences and prayers to the entire Carter family,” Zina Risley, third vice chair of the Stanly County Democratic Party, said by email Sunday night.

Albemarle Mayor Ronnie Michael spoke of Carter’s connection to the city and his values.
“President Jimmy Carter was a man of action. He was a Christian who led a nation during difficult times with distinction and pride for our nation. He visited our City and later along with his wife Rosalyn, hosted several church leaders from our city at the White House,” Michael said by email. “President Carter continued to have great impact on our country after leaving the Presidency. His Christian life led him to put his time and energy in fulfilling the need for affordable housing. His work for Habitat for Humanity helped the organization to grow nationally and build affordable homes for those less fortunate. The nation should be extremely proud of the type of leadership he provided during his entire life, in the Navy, as President and all of his charitable work afterward. Our nation has truly lost a great man.”
Carter’s visit to Albemarle that Michael mentioned came thanks in large part to his friendship with the late Wilkinson Davis Fort, an Albemarle resident.
Less than 30 miles separated their two small Georgia towns, but a love of basketball and peanuts would bring future president Carter and future doctor Fort together and lead them both on a path of service to others.
Fort, a retired Albemarle physician, died Oct. 18, 2019 at the age of 93. Shortly after Fort’s death, family and friends reflected his connection to Carter.
Fort and Carter played on the basketball teams of their respective hometowns of Lumpkin and Plains. The two later were also competitors in the peanut business. Fort’s future wife, Daisy, even attended school with Carter.
“When Jimmy ran for governor my mother’s father was high up in his campaign,” Amelia Fort Bell, daughter of Davis and Daisy Fort, said in a 2019 interview with The Stanly News & Press.
Fort was a delegate to the 1976 Democratic National Convention.
“When they were campaigning, Rosalynn stayed here at the house,” Bell said of the first lady.
A plaque decreeing that a member of the Carter family stayed at the Fort house is among the families treasured items from that time, along with a campaign sign, correspondence from The White House and newspaper clippings.
“When Rosalynn was here, she wanted to meet as many people as she could, go as many places.”
Her trip to Albemarle was captured in a March 19, 1976 front page story of The Stanly News & Press. She addressed a gathering at the Stanly County Courthouse, with Fort shown seated in the background. She also met with a group for a prayer breakfast.
Former county commissioner David Morgan shared on Facebook his memories of the visit by the Carters to Albemarle.
“A $50 per person dinner (which I thought was a waste of money at the time) was held at the Heart of Albemarle Dining Room on South First Street in Downtown,” Morgan wrote. “A great meal was served at the sold out event and Jimmy Carter was really an entertaining speaker. Several months later his wife, Rosalynn, came through Albemarle for a ‘Tea’ at the home of neighbors Dr. Davis and Daisy Fort. Mrs. Carter spent that Tuesday night at the Fort Home and the next morning Dr. Fort brought her to the 7 a.m. First Presbyterian Church Albemarle Wednesday Morning Men’s Prayer Breakfast. At breakfast, a deal was cut that if they made it to the White House the group wanted her free (normally $3) breakfast, she had enjoyed with them, to be repaid by inviting them to the White House for breakfast. Well, the Carters made it to the White House and Mrs. Carter didn’t forget about the deal with the Prayer Breakfast Group!”
The Carters kept their word, as a group chartered a plane to Washington, D.C. to meet with them. However, the meal was of fried chicken, cole slaw and banana pudding, Bell said in the 2019 SNAP interview. Fort and his family also attended an inaugural ball for the president.
Another connection to Stanly County was that of Pfeiffer.
It was at Pfeiffer College on April 16, 1975, that the former Georgia governor gave the first speech of the Pfeiffer Alumni Affairs Forum Series, part of the college’s national bicentennial celebration.
Carter arrived at Pfeiffer by helicopter to deliver a speech for his campaign, according to Jonathan Hutchinson, university archivist and library systems administrator for the Mary Fisher Floyd Archives and Special Collections at Pfeiffer.
He spoke in the courtyard between the Harris Science Building and the Stokes Student Center, Hutchinson said.
Carter’s visit was part of many Bicentennial events conducted at Pfeiffer during 1975 and 1976. Pfeiffer was the first Bicentennial College Community in North Carolina and the 15th in the nation, Hutchinson added.

Carter, who was seeking the Democratic Party nomination for president at the time, told the gathering of college students and visitors, “If I tell a lie in my campaign for the U.S. Presidency, then you shouldn’t support me.”
According to the April 18, 1975 issue of The Stanly News & Press, Carter said for the first time in American history polls showed citizens believed they would be in worse economic and political shape in five years than they were that day.
“How tragic that is. America is a great land. We must restore the faith of the people in their land and in their government,” Carter said.
Carter spoke about issues of the day such as Watergate and Vietnam.
“This is Senator Sam Ervin’s state and I think it is time to talk about ethics and morality. The decisions which have been made in secret in Washington over recent years are the ones which have gotten our nation in trouble. Our people are disturbed by the shame of Watergate, concerned about inflation, and disheartened by Vietnam … while the average citizen may not say much, I am convinced that Americans are deeply disturbed and have deep feelings about these issues.
“The greatest heroes I know are the American GIs who went to Vietnam and served even though they did not agree with the issues. When I returned from World War II and Korea, neighbors thanked me for my service. When my son came home from Vietnam, he was ashamed to wear his uniform in public … no one said ‘thank you’ to him.
“I believe that we need to return to such words as decency, honesty, brotherhood, companion, and love. We do not need to lower government standards. We need to lift themup. And this is at the heart of my concern.”
“As President, I will be responsible for the conduct of the executive branch of government. Errors or malfactions will be immediately revealed and an explanation given to the public, along with corrective action to prevent any recurrence of such actions. This same responsibility for campaign actions will be assumed by me as a candidate.”

Stanly County historian Lewis Bramlett points out that the speech at Pfeiffer was “significant because Carter first outlined his plan for a code of conduct for government employees. In his plan, he advocated that all meetings held by government officials, outside of very specific national security issues, be fully open to the public. He also proposed a plan to better regulate lobbyists, and he advocated for all high-ranking government officials to disclose their financial status. These points, along with the rest of his speech, helped cement his persona in the public consciousness.”
Bramlett, who lives in Georgia with his family, was able to meet the Carters in the spring of 2013.
“One Sunday several years ago, my wife, boys and I attended Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter’s church in Plains, Georgia. President Carter gave a fascinating Sunday School lesson, and after the service that followed, guests were given the opportunity to have our picture taken with them,” Bramlett said. “All visitors were instructed to get in line, hurry for the picture, not speak to or try to shake hands with the Carters, and then get out of the way so they could quickly move through the line. My family and I were fortunate to be first in line. The Carters spoke to us, shook each of our hands, and were very gracious and kind. To our surprise, when getting ready for the picture, the former President put his hands on both my boy’s shoulders and the former First Lady held my arm. It was an honor to meet them, and we will never forget it.”

Bramlett’s wife Beth shared more details of the meeting.
“When the Carters came into the sanctuary, they came in quietly, holding hands, and slipped into their pew. No pomp and circumstance. President Carter had just returned from a trip literally around the world. He spoke for nearly an hour, had a cohesive lesson, incorporated some stories from his trip, and I don’t recall him using any notes,” she said.
Following the service, visitors were allowed to have a photo taken with the Carter.
“When our turn came, we very stiffly sidled up to the place where we were supposed to stand … and the Carters welcomed us so warmly,” she said. “Note the placement of their hands in the photo. They asked the boys their names and ages. It was such a genuine and kind interaction. I wish we had gone back in the years that followed, but I know our boys will remember that day for the rest of their lives. ”

B.J. Drye is general manager/editor of The Stanly News & Press. Call 704-982-2123.