ATLANTA — A funeral was held on Wednesday at The Temple to celebrate and honor the life of former Atlanta Mayor Sam Massell.
Massell's family told 11Alive on Sunday that the 53rd Atlanta mayor died peacefully in his sleep. He was 94.
The ceremony began with a traditional Jewish hymn followed by a word from Rabbi Peter Berg about the late mayor's life.
"Sam Massell elevated our whole community," Berg said, adding, "he did not hide behind his desk; he was a mayor of the people."
The first cousin of Massell, Steve Selig, came up to speak and read a poem, called I'll Follow a Famous Father, by Edgar Albert Guest to the family, that he said he's kept in his briefcase since his father's death 37 years ago.
That was followed by Massell's daughter, Melanie, who sang Keeper of the Stars by Tracy Byrd.
After her song, Berg returned to the podium and spoke to Massell's work as the first Jewish mayor in the city.
Massell also appointed the first woman to Atlanta City Council and hired the first Black man to head an Atlanta government department.
Photos: Sam Massell through the years
The biographer of Massell's book, Charles McNair: Play It Again, Sam: The Notable Life of Sam Massell, Atlanta's First Minority Mayor, spoke about his time alongside Massell.
“During the research and writing, the entire purpose of the project was that Sam wanted to be remembered in history," Charles McNair said, “as a champion of peace.”
The current Mayor of Atlanta, Andre Dickens, said he's felt like he's known Massell his whole life.
“Sam loves his entire family, and he loves Atlanta, and it looks like it,” Dickens said, adding, "There's no shortage of things that he will be remembered for."
The ceremony concluded with words from former Atlanta Mayor and United Nations Ambassador Andrew Young, who opened his statement and said he owed much of his life to Massell.
Young also spoke on how Massell was not afraid to shake things up and push to make Atlanta a city run by a diverse group of leaders.
"It wasn't hard for him to be a leader in a city too busy to hate," Young said. "He didn't have a hateful bone in his body."
Atlanta was the first city to vote on public transit, Young said, because of Massell. The transit system issued its statement about Massell's death last week; Massell also established the Omni and Woodruff Park.
"MARTA would not exist but for the dedication and persistence of Massell, who convinced the Georgia Legislature, and later voters, to approve the local option sales tax that continues to fund MARTA to this day," the transit authority said in a statement. "His political antics in the early days of the MARTA referendum are legendary, as are his grassroots efforts riding the bus to communities and explaining the sales tax on a chalkboard. MARTA was fortunate to have such an ardent support and we remain forever in his debt."
Massell graduated from Druid Hills High School at the young age of 16 before attending the University of Georgia. He was drafted in 1946 and then earned a law degree in 1949.
For decades, a civic-minded realtor, Massell served eight years as President of Atlanta's Board of Aldermen, now the City Council.
The ceremony ended with the song, Blowin' in the Wind, by Bob Dylan, another Jewish hymn, followed by final statements and a prayer from Berg.
Each person who spoke at the funeral had one commonality in their statements, calling Massell a bridge, working to pull the many communities in the city and the government of Atlanta together.
11Alive sat down with Massell in 2017. Watch that interview here: