Hamilton Jordan: A life in photos

Obituaries

A photo gallery of the life and times of Hamilton Jordan, sharp-witted son of Albany and adviser to former President Jimmy Carter.

Hamilton Jordan's passion for life and politics was legendary. At age 34, he served Jimmy Carter as one of the youngest White House chiefs of staff in history. Later, his battles with cancer would inspire many.

William Hamilton McWhorter Jordan was born on Sept. 21, 1944, in Charlotte, N.C. His family soon moved to Albany, where his mother recalled that in school elections "if he didn't run himself, he'd run his cousin." Classmates at Albany High voted Jordan, seen here in 1982, "most likely to become governor."

In 1966, Jordan attended an Albany Elks Club luncheon where the speaker was Jimmy Carter. Afterward, he wrote Carter offering to help him get votes in Albany. Weeks later he became Carter's youth coordinator. Here, Carter joins Jordan (left) and press secretary Jody Powell on a plane ride during Carter's presidency.

After serving as executive secretary during Carter's years as governor, Jordan (far right) emerged with a nearly 80-page master plan on how Carter could become president of the United States. This photo was taken in the Oval Office in 1979.

Jordan, who served as Carter's chief of staff, sits with other advisers Tim Kraft (left) and Gerald Rafshoon (center) in 1979.

Jordan brought a casual style to the White House and avoided the Washington social scene. But when he played, he played hard -- gaining the reputation of an ill-mannered, wisecracking, social boor. Here, Jordan (from left) sits in the White House with Carter, White House counsel Lloyd Cutler and Vice President Walter Mondale.

In 1978, accusations flew that Jordan sniffed cocaine during a visit to Manhattan disco Studio 54. After 10 months of questioning by Justice Department officials, mountains of legal fees and a divorce, a federal grand jury concluded there was insufficient evidence to indict him.

In 1979, Carter departed the White House and Jordan moved to Atlanta. In 1981, he married Dorothy Henry, a pediatric nurse. The couple is seen here holding their son Hamilton Jr. in 1986. Together, they founded Camp Sunshine, a Morgan County facility for children with cancer -- unaware that Jordan himself would be stricken with a form of the disease in 1985.

Jordan stands with his personal physician Dr. Richard Hammonds (right) to announce that his cancer was in remission, clearing the way for his 1986 campaign for the Democratic nomination for U.S. senator. The campaign was not successful.

Later, Jordan, seen here in 1992, and his wife would learn their daughter, Kathleen, had juvenile diabetes. They would found Camp Kudzu for other children with the disease.

Jordan turned his illnesses into opportunities, including the 2000 bestselling memoir, "No Such Thing As a Bad Day," doing his best to inspire and advocate for others battling cancer.

Hamilton Jordan (right) and cancer survivor Lance Armstrong get ready to address the National Press Club in Washington in 2003. In 20 years, Jordan battled six cancers.

In August 2006, Jordan underwent surgery for a rare viral infection that resulted in significant accumulation of fluid around his heart. Still, Jordan, seen in March of this year wearing his oxygen tank and walking with his son Hamilton Jr., was full of hope.

"All of us, sooner or later, are going to get a bad report," Jordan, photographed here in March 2008 without his oxygen tubes, told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution in 2000. "I don't ever want to forget the raw fear of death. Today I lead a life I don't take for granted."

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Hamilton Jordan's passion for life and politics was legendary. At age 34, he served Jimmy Carter as one of the youngest White House chiefs of staff in history. Later, his battles with cancer would inspire many.

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