John Hardy Isakson

John “Johnny” Hardy Isakson was born in Atlanta on December 28, 1944, the son of Edwin and Julia (Baker) Isakson. He died peacefully at home on December 19, 2021.

After graduating from Dykes High School, Johnny earned a bachelor’s degree in business administration in 1966 from the University of Georgia. He then opened the first Cobb County branch of Northside Realty, the real estate firm his father founded. In 1979, he became president of the company, a post he held for 22 years.

Johnny served 14 years in the Georgia House of Representatives from 1977 to 1991, and four years in the State Senate from 1993 to 1997. In 1999, he was elected to the United States House of Representatives and served until 2004 when he was elected to the United States Senate. He served 15 years until retiring in December 2019.

In 1968, Johnny married Dianne Davison. They had three children: John, Kevin and Julie. His family attended Mt. Zion United Methodist Church where he taught Sunday School for 30 years.

Johnny is preceded in death by his father (Edwin), mother (Julia), sister (Betty) and grandson (Charley). He is survived by his three children John (Susan), Kevin (Katherine), Julie (Jay), his brother Andy (Nancy), eight grandchildren Jane, Elizabeth, Jack, Sarah Katherine, Riley, Cecilia, William, Hunter and several nieces and nephews.

A funeral service will be held on Thursday, January 6, 2022, at 2:00 PM at Peachtree Road United Methodist Church 3180 Peachtree Road, NE, Atlanta, Georgia, 30305. Visitation will precede the funeral from 12:30 to 1:30 PM. Due to COVID-19, all guests are required to wear a mask during the visitation and service.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations can be made to The Isakson Initiative, the organization Johnny founded after retiring that is dedicated to raising awareness and funding for research related to neurocognitive diseases including: Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s and related dementia. The Isakson Initiative: Post Office Box 250116, Atlanta, Georgia 30325.

To view the service live stream on Thursday, January 6, 2022, please visit https://vimeo.com/659734454.

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.hmpattersonOglethorpe.com for the Isakson family.