BAINBRIDGE, Ga. (WCTV) - As the world mourns the loss of one of Georgia’s most beloved sons, A Bainbridge family is reflecting on their close connection with the former president.

When Carter was just making the jump from peanut farmer to politician, he needed the unexpected help of a Decatur County-born attorney who would become Carter’s closest advisor.

Charles Kirbo was an Atlanta attorney, but was born in Bainbridge. His son, Charles Jr., still lives in town.

“He always wore loud jackets for some reason,” he said, reflecting on his father’s wardrobe while talking with WCTV.

Kirbo would leave South Georgia to attend law school at the University of Georgia. Afterwards, he settled in Atlanta.

In the 1960s, his path crossed with a farmer from Plains. Jimmy Carter had lost a Democratic primary for State Senate.

“He said if I hadn’t walked into his office that day, I don’t know what would’ve happened,” Kirbo, Jr. recalled.

Kirbo proved the ballot box had been stuffed. The election had been a fraud. Carter would go on to win a second election and Kirbo became a close advisor. A few years later, Carter landed in the Governor’s Mansion.

“Sometimes he would pick me up from after school sports and we would go to the Governor’s mansion, and I’d wait downstairs with somebody and he’d wander around and talk with people,” Kirbo, Jr. said.

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The Kirbos would join the Peanut Brigade, the passionate Georgia-based Carter support network that aided his campaign for president.

Bruce Kirbo, Jr. is a Bainbridge Attorney and Charles’ nephew. He has plenty of stories of the former president.

“President Carter wanted to eat lasagna at mom’s house,” he said.

Carter was a fan of home cooking. Kirbo’s mother, though, had just blown out her knee.

“She sat on a stool, three different stools in the kitchen so she could go from area to area to make that lasagna for President Carter,” Kirbo said.

The Kirbos say Carter followed his faith no matter what.

“They did what they thought needed to be done, even a lot of things they got really slammed for,” Charlie Kirbo Jr. said.

“Sometimes we Christians forget love thy neighbor, and I don’t think he ever did,” Bruce said.

Charles Kirbo passed away in 1996, but Charlie said if his father had seen how Carter spent his final 27 years, he would feel even more vindicated for backing the right horse all those years ago.

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