LEWISTON – Dr. Randall “Randy” Harding Silver, 76, of Barkley Place, Auburn, died Thursday, Aug. 11, at d’Youville Pavilion.

Born in Claremont, N.H., April 29, 1929, son of the late Marion and Chester Silver, he spent much of his youth on his family’s farm that raised beef and raspberries. His sister, Janet Merritt, died previously. He graduated from Towle High School in Newport, N.H., in 1947, and then served in the U.S. Army medical corps in Georgia and Korea. He graduated summa cum laude from UNH in 1953.

After earning his M.D. at Harvard in 1957, he specialized in pediatrics, becoming chief pediatric resident at Genessee Hospital in Rochester, N.Y. He practiced pediatrics in Guilford and Randolph, Vt., until 1966 when he came to Maine Coast Memorial Hospital in Ellsworth.

Much of his medical career was spent in medically underserved areas, including Passamaquoddy Reservations, and small Maine and Canadian border towns and schools.

He helped found Downeast Health Services in Ellsworth, serving as medical director from 1974 to 1981 and board chair from 1981 to 2000. He also served as consulting physician or medical director to several entities including Calais Memorial Hospital, Transition House in Calais, Indian Township Health Center in Princeton, Pleasant Point Health Center in Perry and Facing Change in Lewiston.

He moved from Ellsworth to Auburn in 1982, where he made his home with his beloved companion, Malca Wilner. He continued his work downeast, traveling to Ellsworth, Calais, Machias and environs each week until this summer.

He became ASAM Board certified in chemical dependency treatment in 1987, and spent six years as attending physician, associate director and acting director of Chemical Dependency Services at St. Mary’s Regional Hospital. At the time of his death, his hospital affiliations included Calais Memorial and emeritus staff at St. Mary’s.

He was an active member of Temple Shalom Synagogue. He was also an avid bridge player, enjoying leagues in Lewiston, Ellsworth and St. Stephen, New Brunswick.

He will be remembered for the joy he took in playing with his “Barkley Place farm and garden,” where he took special pride in raising raspberries and tomatoes, and experimenting with new and unique varieties of plants.

He is survived by his children, Stewart Silver, Stan and Maria Silver, Stephanie Everett and David Tate; grandchildren, Chris Everett, Thomas Silver and Christina Silver; his companion and partner, Malca Wilner and family, Beth and John Vallee, Charles Wilner, Jonathan and Jayne Wilner, Paul and Eileen Wilner; grandchildren, Samuel Vallee, Emily Wilner, Chadd Wilner, Stephen Wilner, Ernest and Jessica Fitts, and Jeni and Jared Cash; great-grandson, Connor Ernest Fitts; and several nieces and nephews. Those whose lives he touched will sadly miss him.