Jimmy Carter was the first U.S. president to live to be 100 years old — a feat made even more incredible by the fact that he was alive for 40% of the nation’s history.

Carter, who has rarely used his full name — James Earl Carter Jr, was born Oct. 1, 1924, in Plains, Georgia. Gerald Ford, the Michigan native who was the 38th president after succeeding Richard Nixon, who had resigned the post, died Dec. 26, 2006. At the time of his death he was the longest-living president at age 93.

Prominent Athens natives remember the life and legacy of former President Jimmy Carter, who recently passed away.

Jimmy Carter was in office from 1977 until 1981, but it was his life outside the White House that has continued to speak volumes

Stu Eizenstat, the former chief White House domestic policy adviser to Carter, remembered Jimmy Carter at his funeral. Jimmy Carter died in December at age 100. He was the 39th president of the United States.

Past and present occupants of the White House will gather in Washington on Thursday to attend former President Jimmy Carter's state funeral. While a few of the U.S. presidents have joined together for events occasionally,