Former President Jimmy Carter died at his home at the age of 100 on Sunday, leading many to reflect on his life and legacy, both during and after his presidency.

Central New York has ties to Carter's life before he moved into the White House, and one man shared his story of the Peanut Brigade, supporting the former president’s run for office before he gained popularity.

“Well, he’s been suffering for a long time and his wife had passed. So, you know, you have mixed feelings. You're happy he's with Rosalynn now, but we'll miss him. No question about that,” said Dick Woodworth, who lives in Syracuse but winters in Florida.

He was interested in the 39th president's run early, saing he sent a postcard to the campaign volunteering his help if they ever made a stop in Syracuse. Eventually, he got a call.

What You Need To Know

  • Dick Woodworth, a Jimmy Carter supporter, says he met the former president twice during his visits to Syracuse

  • He said he attended the inauguration and inaugural ball

  • And every year after, he got a Christmas card from the Carters

“They said Jimmy Carter only had two supporters in Syracuse at the time, because there were a total of 13 Democrats running. And so, the other woman couldn't make it,” said Woodworth.

He met Carter at his plane and accompanied him on his visit to the Salt City.

“Always wonderful when we have these connections back to Central New York, particularly when it was sort of before he was President Carter, when it was still just Jimmy Who?” said Robert Searing, curator of history with the Onondaga Historical Association.

“I figured I would never see him again because he was still an unknown. Well, seven months later, I got a phone call from the Secret Service. (It) said Carter was coming to Syracuse, and he wanted me to be with him because I was his original supporter,” said Woodworth.

Woodworth said he helped organize the presidential nominee’s visit, alerting local press, union officials and Democratic elected officials. He said Carter received a much larger welcome this time around.

“We go to Hotel Syracuse. He speaks at the Persian Terrace, getting several hundred people around the hotel. And about five weeks later, he was elected president of the United States,” recalled Woodworth. “He just seemed like a very, very nice man. Like. Like he was your grandfather. I was in my 20s. He was in his 40s. But he still had the image of being a very nice man, like a grandfather.”

Soon after, Woodworth received an invitation to Carter’s inauguration and the inaugural ball.

“And I stood in the coat line to register my coat for the inaugural ball, and I turn around and introduce myself to the lady behind me, and it was Aretha Franklin,” said Woodworth.

And every year after, he got a Christmas card from the Carters.

“I think the people in the Peanut Brigade, he didn't forget them. When he campaigned for president, he said I'm the most organized person who ever ran for president of the United States. He said I'm not the richest, but I'm the most organized. And I think those Christmas cards proved it,” said Woodworth.

“Just a great admirer of President Carter and, 100 years! What a what an incredible life lived. And, hopefully, he and Rosalynn are united again,” said Searing.

After a state funeral, Carter will be laid to rest in his hometown of Plains, Georgia, under a willow tree, next to Rosalynn, his longtime wife.