Billy Carter
| Billy Carter | |
|---|---|
Billy Carter (right), greets his brother, President Jimmy Carter, at the commencement ceremonies at the Georgia Institute of Technology in Atlanta February 20, 1979.
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| Born |
William Alton Carter III March 29, 1937 Plains, Georgia |
| Died | September 25, 1988 (aged 51) Plains, Georgia |
| Cause of death | pancreatic cancer |
| Occupation | |
| Spouse(s) | Sybil Spires (m. 1955–1988, his death) |
William Alton "Billy" Carter III (March 29, 1937 – September 25, 1988) was an American farmer, businessman, and politician. Carter promoted Billy Beer, and was a candidate for Mayor of Plains, Georgia. He was also the younger brother of former Georgia Governor and U.S. President Jimmy Carter.
Carter was born in Plains, Georgia to James Earl Carter Sr. and Lillian Gordy Carter. He attended Emory University in Atlanta but did not complete a degree. He served four years in the United States Marine Corps, then returned to Plains to work with his brother in the family business of growing peanuts. In 1955 at the age of 18, he married Sybil Spires (born 1938), also of Plains. They were the parents of six children: Kim, Jana, William "Buddy", Marle, Mandy, and Earl, who was 12 years old when his father died.
In 1972, Billy Carter purchased a gas and service station in Plains. He owned and operated it for most of the decade.
Carter ran for mayor of Plains in 1976, but lost the election by a few votes. It was his only attempt to win elective office.
In the 1970s Billy Carter was the official spokesperson for Peanut Lolita liqueur while his brother, Jimmy Carter held presidential office.
In 1977, he endorsed Billy Beer, introduced by the Falls City Brewing Company, who wished to capitalize upon his colorful image as a beer-drinking Southern good ol' boy that developed in the press when his brother ran for President. Carter's name was occasionally used as a gag answer for a Washington, D.C., trouble-maker on 1970s episodes of Match Game. He was known for his outlandish public behavior; he once urinated on an airport runway in full view of the press and dignitaries.
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