Community pillar Pierce Cline died Saturday morning at the age of 85.

In an email to friends, Cline's wife Margie said, "Pierce died as peacefully as he lived."

A memorial service will be held Sunday, Nov. 11 at Allen Memorial United Methodist Church in Oxford.

Cline was known for many things, including playing a large part in bringing a Georgia Perimeter College campus to Newton County, developing high-quality neighborhoods, supporting numerous service groups and projects and being a lifelong friend to Oxford College.

He recently received Oxford College's lifetime achievement award, the R. Carl Chandler Award, named for the college's first board chairman.

"(I've) had a long, healthy adventurous life. I am most grateful and have few regrets. Oxford College and education have been a magnificent part of my life," Cline wrote in his remarks for that award.

Close friend Rob Fowler III presented the award and called Cline the "consummate path finder and mentor to me."

"There were people who said, ‘Why should we do this or that?'" Fowler said. "Pierce would said, ‘Why not?'"