How To Wish Former President Jimmy Carter A Happy 96th Birthday

GEORGIA — If you ever wanted to wish a former president happy birthday, now is your chance. Former President Jimmy Carter will turn 96 years old on Oct. 1, making him the oldest living former president.

The Carter Center has created a way for the public to share their memories online with the former president from Georgia. Anyone may add a personal message to Carter's birthday wishes wall and will be included with the many others already online.

Dianne Nordeen wrote, "My son recently asked me who I thought was the best president and without hesitation I answered President Jimmy Carter. Thank you for all the beautiful things you have done for our country. YOU are a true American with the soul of an angel. Happiest of birthdays to you."

In the past year Carter has battled some health issues with several falls, breaking a hip, fracturing his pelvis, and later undergoing brain surgery to relieve pressure caused by bleeding from his recent falls.

Another well-wisher, Steven Magazine said, "Happy Birthday President Carter. Your election was my first time voting. I also had the opportunity to meet you when you visited my community college during your campaign (Lake Sumter Community College). Thank you for being a role model. Thank you for being the kind of human we should all be. I hope you have a special birthday."

Carter was elected president in 1976 at age 52. He has been out of office for 40 years, losing a re-election bid in a landslide loss to Ronald Reagan in 1980. He has since become one of the most active ex-presidents in U.S. history, founding The Jimmy Carter Center and the Jimmy Carter Presidential Library and Museum, and continuing to participate in frequent Habitat for Humanity homebuilding efforts.

James M. Brasher shared a photo and said, "Happy 96th Birthday! This is you launching the Historic Capital Campaign of the United Negro College Fund in the fall 1977 in the Roosevelt Room of the White House - 43 years ago. The gentleman in the foreground is Thomas A. Murphy, Chairman and CEO of General Motors. He was the active chair of the UNCF Campaign and you served as Honorary Chair. It was the largest campaign among corporations for higher education in history and helped to save private Black education in America.

"I have been reading the many heartfelt messages sent to you from people all over the world. I share every emotion expressed about you and you deserve every one of these kudos."

To leave your own birthday message, visit the Carter Center.

Carter was diagnosed with cancer in August 2015 at age 91 after having surgery to remove a lesion on his liver. After the surgery, Carter announced the cancer had spread to other parts of his body. Doctors had found melanoma lesions on his brain.

In November of that year, the Carter Center issued an update on the former president's health, saying recent tests had shown there was no new evidence of malignancy and he was responding well to treatment. In March 2016, he announced to his Sunday school class at Maranatha Baptist Church that he was cleared of the disease.

Carter was born in Plains, a tiny town in southwest Georgia. He graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy in 1946 and married Rosalynn Smith.

After his service with the Navy, Carter returned to Plains in 1962, where he and Rosalynn operated a seed and farm supply company, according to The Jimmy Carter Presidential Library. In 1962, the Democratic candidate entered politics and was elected to the Georgia State Senate. In 1966, he lost his first bid for the governorship, but won in a second shot at the seat in 1970.

In 1976 his long-shot presidential bid won him the White House when Carter defeated incumbent Ford to become the 39th president of the United States.

Carter's presidency is known for various historic milestones, such as the Camp David Peace Accords between Israel and Egypt in 1978 and establishing diplomatic relations with China, his library noted. He also was responsible for the creation of the departments of Education and Energy, as well as implementing new environmental protection legislation such as the Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act, the library said.

Carter managed to repair his image over the last several decades through his work helping the less fortunate. In 1982, he founded The Carter Center, which works to address national and international issues through public policy. The nonprofit organization has dispatched 100 election observers to countries in the Americas, Africa and Asia.

In recent years, Carter also spoke out against anti-gay and rising racist sentiment. In 2000, he announced he would be leaving the Southern Baptist Convention due to the body's literal interpretation of the Bible, a move the New York Times said was mostly symbolic because he didn't serve in an official capacity with the organization. In 2015, he told the Huffington Post he believed Jesus would be in favor of marriage equality.

In 2016, he told the Times Republican criticism of former President Barack Obama had "heavy" racial overtones and then Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump's successful campaign "tapped a waiting reservoir there of inherent racism."