AUGUSTA -- On a day of many high school graduations, hundreds gathered at a memorial service to honor a man who helped so many people further their educations at the University of Maine at Augusta -- late UMA President Richard Randall.

Randall died May 31 at his Winthrop home after a two-year battle with esophageal cancer. He was 65.

Several hundred people packed into the Augusta Civic Center's North Wing for a "celebration of the life and love" of Randall.

In a 40-year career at UMA that included time as a professor, dean, vice president, associate provost and, ultimately, president, Randall oversaw the growth of the university. He initially retired in 2001, but came out of retirement in 2005, soon thereafter being named the university's 10th president.

"I don't think any institution owes more to any single individual than UMA owes to Dick Randall," said another former UMA president, George Connick, who worked with Randall for several years. Connick also said he knew of no one else who loved an institution as much as Randall loved UMA.

Randall and his wife, Mary Elisabeth, began their careers at the university in 1967, two years after its start, when classes were held in rented space at the Augusta State Armory.

Randall led the university through a difficult time when there were proposals to merge the Augusta campus with the University of Southern Maine in Portland.

UMA avoided the merger. The college's mission, following Randall's vision, changed in recent years to set UMA on a path to awarding more bachelor's than associate's degrees.

"Dick and UMA have grown up together," said Richard Patenaude, chancellor of the University of Maine System, said. "He was particularly proud of the full accreditation of UMA as a baccalaureate institution."

Peter Thompson, chairman of the UMA Board of Visitors, said Randall was a teacher to thousands of students in the traditional classroom setting, but also a teacher to the many others who knew him as a friend.

During commencement exercises this spring, which he attended, university officials announced the student technology center will be named after Randall.

Gov. John Baldacci, Senate Majority Leader Elizabeth "Libby" Mitchell, University System Trustee Charles "Wick Johnson, family friend Vern Cook, and Randall's brother, Robert, daughter, Melanie, and son, Adam, also paid tribute Sunday.

His son and daughter, Adam and Melanie, spoke while wearing red clown noses and silly headgear in homage to Randall's sense of humor and humility.

Keith Edwards -- 621-5647

kedwards@centralmaine.com