Anytime we lose a leader who learned in the good old days how to be a leader and who devoted considerable time and effort to making our community a better place for all of us, it is a major loss.

When we lose two such leaders at roughly the same time, it leaves a hole that is almost impossible to fill.

Edward Needham, who created a business, Beaver Manufacturing, that became the heart of a community, was 87 years old. His enterprise provided jobs and security for many local families.

Needham was a quiet, behind-the-scenes kind of man who worked hard and pushed people to be better. Along with his wife, he was a great supporter of local education.

Frank Davis, at 80, still was serving as an active member of the Oxford City Council.

A lifelong resident of Newton County, Davis not only raised a large family here; he also found time to be active in the Lions Club and his church. He will also be remembered as the champion of the homestead tax break for Oxford residents.

Both Needham and Davis were family men who supported their churches and left legacies that will not soon be forgotten.

Newton County will miss them both.