The phone rang last Saturday morning, and the caller on the other end of the line was direct and to the point: “Frank has died.”

Someone might be tempted to ask, “Frank who?”

But, in this case, it was obvious who this Frank was.

And your first thought was not about the incredible career Alpena’s favorite son, Frank J. Kelley, had fashioned for himself and for the state, but you immediately reflected on what a great guy he was.

They warn you when you are on this side of the political game to keep at arm’s length the folks you cover. The fear is, if you get too close, when it comes time to write a less-than-flattering story about him or her, it is tougher to pull that trigger if you know them too well.

Michigan’s longest-serving attorney general required short arms, because he was a hoot to be with.

“He was more fun to be around than anyone else,” reflected former Gov. Jim Blancard, who was the second person to call with the regretful news.

Mr. Kelley spoke to the issue during an exit interview on Michigan Public TV in 2015, when he reflected on his dad, who was as popular as could be with his speakeasy bar in Detroit.

“I don’t pretend to be as charismatic as my father, but I did like people like my dad, and that helped in my political career and it helped in life, period,” Kelley said, which is an understatement. He was elected 10 different times as the folks in Michigan liked that he was fighting for them.

Mr. Kelley was all business when he was blasting the state’s major utilities, such as Detroit Edison and Consumers Power, as they were known in the old days. They would try to raise consumer rates, and Mr. Kelley would mount his white horse and ride into court to make sure they never got more than they deserved (ironically, after he finished his 37-year run as AG and helped form a multi-client lobbying firm in town, one of the first clients to sign up was — you guessed it — Consumers Energy).

His dad always wanted his first son to be an attorney. But the first son flirted with a career in show biz, as he loved to hang around celebrities and thought he could be a lawyer or agent for those in the biz being taken to the cleaners by the big shots. But dad said, “No you aren’t,” and that was that.

Plucked out of obscurity in 1961, Mr. Kelley took his Alpena office shingle down and headed to Lansing, where he launched his 37 year career as the state attorney general.

Along the way, he created one of the country’s first consumer and environmental divisions in his office.

He also outlasted five different governors from all political persuasions. He and moderate Republican Bill Milliken got along just great. Ditto for Gov. Blanchard, who was urged by his then-boss, Mr. Kelley, to seek the post. Gov. John Engler trusted Mr. Kelley and even dubbed him the “Eternal General,” given his record-breaking tenure.

But take the title away and it was the guy Frank Kelley that folks were drawn to. He lit up a room, could tell Irish stories with the best of them, and even asked the old comedian Jimmy Durante to campaign with him and, as the story goes, the two talked more about Hollywood than they did about winning votes.

One recalls his warm personal side that just sort of happened one day in his seventh-floor office, following one of his countless news conferences.

The young reporter found himself looking out the window with this seasoned pol into a glorious, sun-shiney pure Michigan day as the man, Frank Kelley, noted, “You know, career is important, but you have to learn to stop every once in a while and smell the roses. Don’t forget that.”

Never did.

Hence, as all the accolades are rightfully bestowed on this departed and beloved public servant, it will be the laughs and good times everyone had with him that will bring a smile to lots of faces and, like his nickname suggests, the Eternal AG leaves behind an eternal impact on the entire state.

Thank you, sir, for a great ride.