'Finishing strong': Johnny Isakson celebrated as compassionate bipartisan

ATLANTA — Near the close of the service memorializing the late U.S. Sen. Johnny Isakson on Thursday, U.S. Senate Chaplain Barry Black harkened back to the last months of a man he called his “prayer partner.”

“Many prayers we prayed about decisions that would be made, or should not be made. And then he said something I never expected to hear him say … ‘I want you to speak at my memorial service,’” Black said. “And it dawned on me — this brother is ready. This brother is finishing strong.”

Isakson died in December at the age of 76 following a years-long battle with Parkinson’s, but it was in the spirit of Black’s words that hundreds filled Peachtree Road United Methodist Church on Thursday to remember a giant of Georgia politics.

Breaking through a chilly afternoon and somber air were memories of a man who, all agreed, would be smiling down on those there gathered.

Kevin Isakson, one of Johnny Isakson’s three children, recalled how his father would always drop by on Friday evenings when he returned from Washington, and how he would walk the mile to Kevin Isakson’s house to check in on the family. Kevin Isakson took care to speak of his father in the present tense when he said, “My dad is a great father. He will always be a great father.”

He also remembered heading up to Washington several years ago after his father suffered a fall, and began to realize “a change is coming.” On the flight to the capital, he filled pages with notes of the stories and memories over the years with his father.

Kevin Isakson’s brother, John Isakson, told a similar tale of finding himself with dozens of notes as he wrestled for the words that would be appropriate for the service. He then thought of a boyhood memory when he wrote a speech for class, and approached his father, note cards in hand, asking if he could practice the speech.

Johnny Isakson, by then already in politics, counseled his son, “If you know what you’re talking about, you don’t need notes. … For the next 10 or 15 minutes, I got the best advice anybody’s ever gotten about how to talk to people, about how to talk about a topic, about how to speak in public. And I think in that moment that was dad at his best — teaching a lesson with kindness and compassion.”

Along from his near half century in public life, Isakson enjoyed the distinction of being the only Georgian to serve as a state representative, state senator, U.S. representative and U.S. senator. That storied career won him many friends, and officials past and present at all levels of government were in the first few pews of the church.

“I haven’t seen this big or bipartisan a group of senators together off the floor since September,” said Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell. “So what happened in September, you’re wondering? Well, it was the annual Johnny Isakson barbecue lunch.”

McConnell later added, “We all know this is a polarized time. Unity is in short supply. But the gigantic and diverse Johnny Isakson fan club has never failed to pack a room.”

Though Isakson has often been remembered in recent weeks for his kindness and geniality, McConnell reminded his audience that the man was “a savvy legislator, a cunning dealmaker” who worked the Senate as well as anyone.

“But Johnny’s achievements didn’t come in spite of his quiet virtues, they came because of those virtues,” he added.

That impression was shared by Isakson’s longtime friend and colleague, former U.S. Sen. Saxby Chambliss, who met Isakson in the early 1960s at the University of Georgia.

In emotional remarks, at times dabbing tears from his eyes, Chambliss recounted a “spectacular career” in politics and a life that ended just days before what would have been Isakson’s 77th birthday.

“None of us had any idea what the protocol was over the last several days when Johnny faced St. Peter. But there’s one thing I know for certain. Standing right beside (him) at St. Peter was (the late U.S. Senator) Tom Coburn, and Coburn in his inimitable way whispered to St. Peter … ‘This is the guy I’ve been telling you about,’” Chambliss said.

Chambliss and McConnell were merely the speaking tip of the iceberg of officials in attendance Thursday. A non-exhaustive list included Gov. Brian Kemp, U.S. Sens. Chris Coons, Raphael Warnock and Ted Cruz, U.S. Rep. Lucy McBath, Georgia Speaker David Ralston, Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger and former Sen. Kelly Loeffler.

A common thread through the 90-minute service were the varied images each speaker invoked of what Isakson might be up to now. Jimmy Fluker, a longtime friend and neighbor, imagined him “looking down at us with that Johnny Isakson smile and twinkle in his eye.” Chambliss, to roars of applause, assured everyone his old friend would be tuning in to watch Monday’s title game between Georgia and Alabama.

Chaplain Black, who said Isakson “had me at hello” when they met at a prayer breakfast some 18 years ago, promised to drop in on his friend soon enough.

Black said, “We’ve heard about some impressive neighborhoods, but I want my mansion to be somewhere near Hallelujah Boulevard — near Johnny’s place.”