George Israel, former Macon mayor and Georgia Chamber leader, dies at 78

Visitation is scheduled August 1 at Hart’s at the Cupola, followed by a service there August 2.

MACON, Georgia (41NBC/WMGT) — Former Macon Mayor George Matthew Israel III died Sunday at age 78.

According to his obituary, Israel served as mayor from 1979 to 1987 after serving on the Macon City Council from 1975 to 1979.

A visitation is scheduled for Saturday, August 1, from 5 to 7 p.m. at Hart’s at the Cupola, 6324 Peake Road in Macon. A service will be held there Sunday, August 2, at 4 p.m.

Israel cut the ribbon for Macon’s inaugural Cherry Blossom Festival in 1983. He also served as chair of the Macon Chamber of Commerce and the Macon Economic Development Commission.

Israel was appointed president and CEO of the Georgia Chamber of Commerce in 2002. Georgia Trend named him “Georgian of the Year” in 2006.

His business career also included leadership roles with Potomac Corporation, Fickling and Walker and Secure Health Plans of Georgia. He served on YKK’s board of directors and several state advisory boards.

Born in Macon on February 10, 1948, Israel graduated from Lanier High School for Boys in 1966. He sold cookware while attending Middle Georgia College in Cochran and the University of Georgia before beginning a long career with MassMutual Insurance.