David L. Isom died June 15 at the Hospice Facility at Kennestone Hospital, Marietta. The son of Joseph and Betty Isom, he was born in 1950 in Detroit. After the family transferred to the Atlanta area, David graduated from S.W. DeKalb High School in DeKalb County. He later attended the University of Georgia, studying engineering for two years before going into the construction business with one of the major construction businesses in Atlanta. Mr. Isom later took a superintendent’s job for Day’s Inn building their inns in Kentucky, Ohio and other states in the Midwest. After completing his tour with Day’s Inn, he entered the construction business in the Cobb-Cherokee area, building numerous subdivisions in the Lake Altoona area. When the building business slowed down, he signed a contract with Cobb County as the fixed base operator for McCollum Airport. He operated the airport for 10 years before selling to an outside company. After constructing three new hangers and making many improvements, the end result was a new and improved McCollum Airport. Ten years ago, Mr. Isom and his wife Nancy moved to the Ellijay area in Gilmer County and started their own real estate company. He built the subdivisions; she sold the property. They later sold the real estate company and Mr. Isom completed and sold a 52-lot subdivision in the area. Twelve months ago, Mr. Isom was solicited by the Gilmer County Board of Commissioners to be the Fixed Base Operator for the new Gilmer County Airport. He was pleased to accept this position and on January 1, 2010, signed a lease with Gilmer County to operate the new airport as the new Fixed Base Operator. His tragic and unexpected death not only proved to be most painful for his friends and family but for the many business associates as well. Mr. Isom’s mother Betty R. Isom passed away February 25, 2009. Mr. Isom’s associates referred to him as a man’s man. He was a licensed pilot for the past 20 years and loved boating, all wild life, and his dogs, Yeager, Spookier and Gucci. David will be sorely missed by his family and friends.
He is survived by his loving wife Nancy Leech Isom; brothers-in-law and their wives Les and Ouida Leech, Bill and Annette Leech; sister-in-law Linda Blochberger; father Joseph M. Isom; brothers and sisters-in-law John W. and Donna Isom, Thomas and Rose Ann Isom; many nieces, nephews and extended family.
A memorial service will be held 1 p.m. Saturday, June 19, in the chapel of Woodstock Funeral Home. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to The Betty Isom Music Fund, Allen Memorial United Methodist Church, P.O. Box 117, Oxford, Ga. 30054. Condolences may be offered at www.woodstockfuneralhome.com.
