Rick Jasculca labored, on and off, for Jimmy Carter for practically 50 years. And following the previous president’s demise on Dec. 29 at age 100, Jasculca, a 77-year-old River Forest resident, had one other task.
Jasculca and three of his 4 kids helped plan the state funeral for Carter.
“He and Rosalynn have been an essential a part of not solely my life, however our household’s life,” stated Jasculca, co-founder of the outstanding Chicago strategic communications agency Jasculca Terman. “Three of my 4 kids often made his journeys to the Carter Center.”
In 1975, neighborhood newspaper writer Lou Lerner, a pal of Jasculca’s additionally lively in Democratic Party politics, instructed Jasculca, already a veteran of a number of political campaigns, that he was giving him an opportunity to work for the subsequent president of the United States. United States. .
“I stated OK Lou, I’ll chunk, who’re you speaking about?” Jasculca recalled. “He stated Jimmy Carter and I stated, who’s Jimmy Carter?”
Jasculca had by no means heard of the previous governor of Georgia, who was kicking off a prolonged presidential marketing campaign on the time. But Jasculca agreed and commenced working early for Carter’s marketing campaign. He initially targeted totally on Rosalynn Carter’s marketing campaign disruptions, but in addition labored for Jimmy Carter. When Carter defeated Gerald Ford within the 1976 presidential election, Jasculca, whereas remaining primarily based in Chicago, superior the work for the subsequent 4 years, together with presidential journeys to Japan, Rome, and the Vatican.
“I bear in mind how quite simple it was,” Jasculca stated. “I observed his capacity to essentially join and his penchant for punctuality.”
After Carter was defeated by Ronald Reagan in 1980, the Carters and Jasculca remained involved. Jasculca, and ultimately his kids Aimee, Andrew, and Lauren who all adopted him into public relations work, superior the work for most of the overseas and home journeys the Carters took by means of the Carter Center in its lengthy post-presidential interval , together with quite a few journeys to Africa.
The Jasculcas and the Carters grew to become mates. Jimmy Carter was one thing of a father determine to Jasculca, who was solely 20 when his father died of a coronary heart assault, and have become one thing of an additional grandfather to his 4 kids.
“Over the years and many years, he grew to become my North Star,” Jasculca stated.
Jasculca later did political promotion work for Bill and Hillary Clinton, Rahm Emanuel and others, however his connection to the Carters stood out.
“As the years glided by we developed a bond,” Jasculca stated.
Jasculca was struck by how humble Carter was, he at all times carried his suitcase with him, and the way tireless he was. During his travels he was on the transfer day and night time, typically carrying out Jasculca.
“He by no means forgot the place he got here from,” Jasculca stated.
He met Carter’s kids and the Carters met his 4 kids.
“They made me really feel like a part of their household,” Jasculca stated. “This is simply who they’re as a household and I really like them as a household.”
In 1986 Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter have been engaged on the Habitat for Humanity mission in Chicago. They wanted to do laundry, and for the reason that humble resort the place the Carters have been staying on Chicago’s West Side had no laundry service, Jasculca’s spouse, Judy, supplied to select up the laundry and take it to the Jasculcas’ dwelling in Franklin Avenue at River. Forest and do it for them. But Roslynn Carter was having none of that.
“Rosalynn stated I do not need you to do my laundry, I’d be blissful to hang around with you however I’ll do the laundry and that is precisely what occurred and that is who they each have been,” Jasculca stated.
When Judy Jasculca died in 2010, the primary cellphone name Rick Jasculca obtained was from Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter providing their condolences.
“It meant the world to me,” stated Jasculca, who additionally obtained condolence calls from President Barack Obama and the Clintons.
In 2014, when Jasculca was honored with a lifetime achievement award on the Publicity Club of Chicago’s annual dinner, Jimmy Carter gave the keynote deal with.
Jasculca stated the Carters’ accomplishments will endure, pointing to their work serving to to nearly extinguish Guinea worm illness in Africa, in addition to all of their work selling peace and democracy around the globe.
“They did not goal for glamour, they aimed for issues that would make a distinction for populations and enhance everybody’s high quality of life,” Jasculca stated. “It is their dedication and their humanity that I believe is on the coronary heart of what we are going to rejoice in Atlanta, Washington and Plains subsequent week.”
Bob Skolnik is a contract reporter for Pioneer Press.
