Only three family members spoke during the funeral at the National Cathedral in Washington, but many more attended the services and are expected in Plains. Ga.

Madeleine Blais was a staff writer for the Trenton Times in 1976 when she was assigned to cover the Democratic Convention in New York City where Jimmy Carter claimed his party's nomination. The four days were mostly a snore -- but she created a time capsule of the week that she treasures to this day.

A hostage crisis in Iran, unrelenting inflation and a primary challenge from Ted Kennedy ensured Carter’s defeat in the 1980 election.

Mr. Carter witnessed a shift from what had been a solidly Democratic South to one that Republicans, supported by white voters and particularly evangelicals, came to dominate.

Carter will be honored with a state funeral at the Washington National Cathedral. “I met the Carter family. They were lovely. They weren’t really, very sad, but also, they were celebrating because it was a very fine man,