Lillian Gordy Carter facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Lillian Gordy Carter
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Carter in 1979
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| Born |
Bessie Lillian Gordy
August 15, 1898 Richland, Georgia, U.S.
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| Died | October 30, 1983 (aged 85) Americus, Georgia, U.S.
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| Occupation | Nurse |
| Political party | Democratic |
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Bessie Lillian Carter (born Gordy; August 15, 1898 – October 30, 1983) was a remarkable American woman. She was the mother of Jimmy Carter, who became the president of the United States from 1977 to 1981. Lillian Carter was also well-known for her important work as a nurse in her home state of Georgia. Later in life, she became a Peace Corps volunteer in India. She even wrote two books while her son was president!
Contents
Lillian Carter's Early Life and Nursing Career
Lillian Carter was born Bessie Lillian Gordy on August 15, 1898, in Richland, Georgia. Her parents were James Jackson Gordy and Mary Ida Nicholson Gordy. In 1917, she wanted to be a nurse for the U.S. Army, but that program was canceled. Instead, she worked for the Post Office in Richland.
In 1920, Lillian moved to Plains, Georgia. She started training at the Wise Sanitarium. She then finished her nursing degree at the Grady Memorial Hospital School of Nursing in Atlanta in 1923. Her family wasn't happy about her choice to become a nurse at first. But Lillian kept going and became very successful. She earned the respect of everyone, both Black and white.
Lillian's Views on Fairness
"Miss Lillian," as many called her, was known for treating everyone equally. She allowed Black people to enter her home through the front door. This was very unusual at the time. She would often invite them into her living room for casual talks, just like she would with white neighbors. These conversations would continue even when her husband, Earl, came home.
Lillian Carter said her father, James Jackson Gordy, taught her to be fair-minded. He ran a Post Office in Richland. He was always friendly and often ate meals with his Black workers. This was very rare in the early 1900s. Lillian decided to follow her father's good example.
Family Life and Community Care
Right after she graduated, Lillian married businessman James Earl Carter Sr.. They had four children: Jimmy (born 1924), Gloria (1926–1990), Ruth (1929–1983), and Billy (1937–1988).
Even though she officially stopped nursing in 1925, Lillian continued to work. She was like a community nurse for hundreds of her husband's employees. She also helped many people in the Plains community. Lillian was a religious woman, but she didn't always go to church services. She believed there was a lot of good work to do in the U.S. before traveling to other countries. She held her own Bible studies at home on Sunday mornings.
After her husband passed away in 1953, Lillian Carter went to Auburn University. From 1956 to 1962, she was a housemother for a college fraternity. A year later, she managed a nursing home in Blakely, Georgia. Lillian Carter also became a social activist. She worked for desegregation, which means ending the separation of people by race. She also provided medical care to African-Americans in Plains, Georgia.
Lillian Carter's Peace Corps Adventure
In 1966, when she was 68 years old, Lillian Carter decided to join the Peace Corps. The Peace Corps is a program where Americans volunteer to help people in other countries. After some training, she was sent to India. She worked there for 21 months, helping patients with leprosy.
Emory University later created the Lillian Carter Center for International Nursing to honor her work in India. The Peace Corps office in Atlanta also named an award after her. This award is for volunteers over 50 who make the biggest difference.
A President's Mother in the Spotlight
When Jimmy Carter decided to run for president, his mother was one of the first people he told. At first, many people didn't think he would win.
Lillian Carter became very famous as "Miss Lillian." She published two books during her son's presidency in 1977. They were called Miss Lillian and Friends and Away from Home: Letters to my Family. The second book was a collection of letters she sent to her family while she was in India with the Peace Corps.
"Miss Lillian" was a favorite of reporters. They loved her friendly Southern charm and down-to-earth way of speaking. She always had a warm and witty answer for every question. In 1977, Lillian Carter even appeared as herself in a TV movie called Lucy Calls the President.
When her son Billy had a ribbon-cutting ceremony for his business, a friend asked Lillian if she would go. She famously replied, "I attended Jimmy's inauguration didn't I?" This showed her strong support for her children. Lillian Carter also led the U.S. group, along with Vice President Walter Mondale, to the funeral of Yugoslav president Josip Broz Tito.
Lillian Carter's Final Years
Soon after her son Jimmy left office in January 1981, Lillian Carter was diagnosed with breast cancer. In April 1983, her cancer was in remission, meaning it was under control. However, her younger daughter, Ruth, was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer and passed away on September 26, 1983, at age 54.
Lillian Carter herself passed away a month later on October 30, 1983, at age 85. Her breast cancer had spread to her bones. Her three surviving children were with her when she died in Americus, Georgia. Lillian Carter was buried in a simple ceremony on November 1, 1983. She was laid to rest next to her husband at Lebanon Church Cemetery.
Sadly, two more of her children, Gloria and Billy, also passed away from pancreatic cancer later on. Former President Jimmy Carter was diagnosed with melanoma in 2015 when he was 90. He survived the cancer and stopped treatments in 2016. He has worked hard to raise money for research to find a cure for pancreatic cancer.
In 2001, a large nursing center was dedicated in Lillian Carter's honor in Plains. Jimmy Carter dedicated it to recognize her early years of helping the community as a nurse. In 2011, she was honored by being added to the Georgia Women of Achievement.
