LIVINGSTON MANOR – On Sunday, December 29, former President Jimmy Carter passed away at the age of 100, making him the oldest president in United States history.

Carter was the 39th President of the United States, winning election in November of 1976, narrowly defeating Republican candidate Gerald Ford and serving until 1981.

From day one, President Carter’s connection to Sullivan County was forged.

The late Fred W. Stabbert  Jr., who passed away in 2009 at the age of 81, was an Elector in the 1976 Electoral College responsible for electing Carter.

Stabbert went to Albany following the election to cast his ballot right behind New York State Governor Hugh Carey.

And then Stabbert and his late wife, Shirley, attended President Carter’s inauguration on January 20, 1977.

It was there that Stabbert got to personally meet the President and attend many functions surrounding the event with Cabinet members, U.S. Senators and U.S. Congressmen.

Interestingly, the Carters Sullivan County connection took another turn as Father Anthony Moore, OFM, became the pastor of Holy Cross Church on Route 97 in Callicoon during the 1970s.

Fr. Anthony Moore, OFM, was first assigned to St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Americus, Georgia, the county seat of Sumter County. He met Miss Lillian when he toured Plains, just down the road. They became friends. Glenn Hester was a fireman in Americus and attended St. Mary’s Church before coming up to Callicoon to join the Franciscans.

Fr. Anthony spoke with Miss Lillian about coming up for the groundbreaking and the dedication of Holy Cross.  She stayed at the Villa Roma both times. Fr. Anthony and Hester went to pick her up at the Scranton-Wilkes Barre airport.  

Catskill Fly Fishing Center

In 1984, Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter were invited by Frank Polanish, a director of the newly-formed Catskill Fly Fishing Center (CCFC), to spend time fishing the Beaverkill and Delaware River, along with raising money for a museum and fly fishing center to be constructed along the banks of the Willowemoc, midway between the fishing towns of Livingston Manor and Roscoe.

Arrangements for the historic trip were made by Livingston Manor’s Dr, Alan Fried and attorney Joe Horak, president and vice-president of the CCFC at the time.

President Carter stated that he found the invitation “so enticing” that he “couldn’t resist.”

He had been fly fishing for 15 years and he agreed with the CCFC’s goal of preserving the history and heritage of the Catskill region; but the thought of fishing these waters that he had read about (he referred to them as “the Mecca which draws other fly-fishermen”) made it impossible to turn down.

The Presidential couple arrived at the Sullivan County International Airport on Wednesday afternoon, September 19, 1984, and were greeted by Sullivan County dignitaries and representatives. They then traveled to the Beaverkill Valley Inn, where they stayed for the remainder of their 5-day trip.

The Carters’ historic trip was celebrated far and wide, and for many weeks afterward, dozens upon dozens of articles appeared covering the event, not only in Sullivan County but in newspapers as far as Arizona and California. 

The goals of the fund-raising organizers were met and even exceeded, as the Catskill Fly Fishing Center raised between $40,000 - $50,000, enough to establish the fund for the new state-of-the-art Museum. It was another lasting legacy that President Carter helped during his lifetime.