A month ago, we wrote an editorial of praise for Pierce Cline, who had just been awarded the coveted Oxford College Carl Chandler award.

The honor of that award was just in time as Mr. Cline died Saturday from the effects of Lou Gehrig's disease.

The last time we saw Pierce Cline was at the county-wide celebration of Newton County held this past summer. Our last conversation was not about his health, but rather about Georgia Perimeter College.

He was concerned on how the recent overspending of the schools budget would affect our local college.

We had no idea at the time that he was not well.

His close friend Rob Fowler called him a visionary, but he was more than that. Cline put his money and land on the line to see that his and others' dreams were accomplished for Newton County.

His philosophy on dealing with life was always not why, but why not?

Cline's vision helped create a beautiful campus for Georgia Perimeter; his vision helped bring us the Y; his vision created project adventure - a place to help wayward children; his vision helped him develop one of the premiere communities in our county; his vision helped create the Newton Foundation.

Cline's courage was evident in how he fought and handled his battle with Lew Gehrig's disease, a crippling disease with no cure in sight.

Pierce Cline's determination and grit was evident as he hiked the whole Appalachian Trail from Georgia to Maine.

It takes a visionary, especially one with courage and determination, to bring about positive change.

Our county is a better place because of the vision of Pierce Cline.

We are going to miss that vision and his always good advice.