Robert L. Ison Jr.

Born in New London, Connecticut on February 15, 1944 where his parents, Robert Lindsey Ison(1942 Georgia Tech all American football star) and Susan Garrett Ison lived. His father “The Big I” was stationed at the submarine base near there during WWII.

Bobby arrived in Atlanta in 1945 where he and his mother awaited the arrival of his father after “Big I“ completed his Submariner career in the Navy during the war. Bobby attended E. Rivers Elementary School, Northside High School and Darlington School in Rome, Georgia where he graduated in 1963. Then on to the University of Georgia, where he majored in business and graduated in 1967. After that he joined the Air National Guard and was stationed at Dobbins Air Force Base where he was a fireman and honed his firefighting skills playing high pressure checkers.

After his duty with The Guard, Bobby joined his family business, Ison Finance Company on Peachtree Road near Brookwood station. When the company was purchased by C&S Bank, he had a short stint in Saint Simons Island, Georgia and Crested Butte, Colorado, he then entered the real estate brokerage business where he remained for the rest of his life. For the past 25 years he worked for shopping center developer, United Corners, headquartered in Buckhead, as a leasing specialist.

Always a fun loving guy, he met many of his lifelong friends at Darlington and the University of Georgia where he was a member of Phi Delta Theta fraternity. At UGA he picked up a few nicknames : “Buffalo Bob”, “Globmo”, “Wine“ and later, “Jack”, which stuck with him for many, many years. He was a lifelong member of The Piedmont Driving Club.

His interest in history was sparked by his father’s time on a submarine during WWII and he became quite an expert on the War and was widely read on that subject.

Bobby enjoyed travelling with his wife of 28 years, Ellen, and they both made their way around Europe and the USA on many trips. In addition, they spent a lot of weekend time at Lake Lanier on their cabin cruiser, Cracker Jack.

Surviving are his wife Ellen Cauble Ison, his two daughters, Genie Ison Gray (Russell)of Atlanta, Susan Branham Ison of Los Angeles, four sisters, all of Atlanta: Blair I. Mann, Lindsey I. Sones, Betsy I. Lane, and Margaret Anne I. Haratine and his granddaughter, Isabella Anne Gray.

A celebration of life will be held in 2021.