NORTON SHORES, MI - Sitting in his art studio, surrounded by his own work and memorabilia of his career, Gary Packingham smiled, eyes shining. Since the passing of former President Jimmy Carter, he’s experienced a “flood of emotions” and memories from the time he worked for the former U.

Jimmy Carter’s legacy includes working to eradicate tropical diseases in Africa, South America and Asia and to end conflicts in places like Syria, Israel and Sudan. But the late former president’s efforts also live on in the wild places of his native Georgia that he worked as governor and president to protect.

Carter’s long public goodbye began Saturday in the state where the 39th U.S. president was born, lived and died.