Bainbridge and Decatur County lost a good, hard-working friend this week.

Raymond Miles was one of those men from “The Greatest Generation,” referenced by Tom Brokaw in his book by that name, who was raised in the deprivation of the Great Depression, went to fight in World War II, and came home ready to roll up his sleeves and build a better nation and world.

As everyone knows, Bainbridge was not where Miles was born and raised. We are just very lucky that chance, or Divine Providence, led him to decide to make Bainbridge his home where he could do his work.

Miles has been described by his friends and family as a man driven to succeed—and that he did at everything he undertook.

He was successful in business, in his church, in his family life and at every community project he addressed. He was a man not only of vision, but of action.

A master fund-raiser, he is credited with pushing through the concept of Bainbridge having a community college, when many were opposed to the venture. He did the same for the YMCA project.

But, he didn’t stop with the bricks and mortar. He continued to work tirelessly right up to his death, providing services and guidance to those organizations. His goal was to see that they improved and thrived to meet ever-growing needs of the community. A prime example of his continuing involvement was his agreement to take on the last fund-drive for the YMCA that made it possible to build a new swimming pool and the recently opened child care facility.

As we head into the coming years, one has to wonder where are the next community leaders with the desire and passion to step up and fill the void?