I have sadly only just learned of Randall’s passing. I met Randall at the University of East Anglia in the early 70’s. I was then in my teens and a lowly cartographer working in the School of Development Studies. Randall and I became friends as well as colleagues. Becoming friends with Randall was as easy as eating cake. He had the most wonderful (and eclectic) sense of humour and this understated attention to detail. He was one of those people that when you met and made friends with him, it didn't matter how far away they went from you, you always felt that you were in touch. We used to drive around in his letterbox red Rover P6 automatic and he used to love using the ‘kick down’ to show how fast it would accelerate. Deceptively he was a fast man with a considered approach. I am sure there are many who have been touched by him and will never forget him, like me.
~
RIP P.R.Baker
(The Welshman who toured the world with the universe as his companion)

Dear Dr. Baker,
I just found this photo of postcard unexpectedly, which you sent one to me before, writing that I would love it because I am very interested in Bulgarian embroidery. I hope you remember this. I found a URL of "Must See Bulgaria" on a postcard with the Nevsky Cathedral, which my Bulgarian friend sent. And when I was seeing some pages of the site, I found this photo of postcard. Myabe you reminded me of you.
http://mustseebulgaria.com/postcards-motifs-of-traditional-bulgarian-embroideries.html#!image=1215&active=1
Now I will read your "Bulgariana" again to re-study about Bulgaria and to think of you.
R.I.P.
Sayako

Your light will always be with us.

March 4 is my day in life. Today I am happy because I am alive, healthy, and I enjoy life. On the other hand, since 2020 March 4 has been a sad day for me. At 3 p.m. (Sofia time) on March 4, 2020, I had a phone call from the USA with news about the unexpected death of my friend Randall. I had just got home from the birthday lunch I had had with two friends – Diana and Robert. Three years ago, I decided to stop celebrating my birthday on 4 March. In 2021, Diana, Robert, and I had lunch together on March 4 to commemorate Randall. In 2022, three of my friends took me to a fine art exhibition on 4 March and that was their birthday gift. 

As one of Randall’s translators in Bulgaria, I expanded both my English vocabulary and knowledge of American history. While in 2009 my husband Boyan and I were translating Why America Isn’t Europe I had to read the manuscript  twice. When I read it for the first time in July 2009, I found out that its history component was prevailing. Then I read a concise history of the USA and after that I read Randall’s book again chapter by chapter. If a European reader knows all milestones in American history very well, he can jump at Why America Isn’t Europe right away. What I am saying is that a completion of a course in American history is a prerequisite for deriving pleasure from reading this book and adding to one’s knowledge about the USA and, of course, Europe.
Randall introduced me to the books of the new Agatha Christie and I discovered Ruth Rendell. We used to talk for hours about End in Tears, Portobello, A Sight for Sore Eyes, Going Wrong, Put on by Cunning, An Unkindness of Ravens, The Water’s Lovely, and Thirteen Steps Down. I keep all these books on a shelf right under the shelf with Randalls’ books.

Randall helped me befriend new people of different nationalities by introducing me to some of his friends and colleagues from Bulgaria, the USA, England, Wales, Ireland, and Azerbaijan.

I miss Randall a lot. Rest in peace, dear Randall.

Violeta

Randall had mind opening stories every time I met him. He enriched my vision about the future and taught me to think in a more global and non-standard way. I respect him a lot!

Randall (and Lucy and the Hobbs family and Eldar) My wife Malgorzata and I were saddened to hear of Randall's passing. My wife and I enjoyed visiting him in Bulgaria in 2015 and having fun wearing his outrageous costumes and trading stories as stamps associates. Susan and Randall were lovely hosts at many memorable parties in Bloomington. I was stunned to hear of his passing. I thought he would live to 100. Hank and Malgorzata Nuwer

Dearest friend Randall,
Been thinking about you; about our lovely visit to Wales in 2017. What a wonderful host you were. How much joy we had, you, Alden, and I rekindling our friendship. I feel so grateful to have known you. When I look up at the stars I think of you and the many times we shared together in the US and in GB. Love you always!

Professor Baker was a rare mind, and a gifted teacher. I wouldn't have ended up in Bloomington, Indiana were it not for his soliloquy on the intersection of Public Administration and the Hajj. He grasp of the centrality of environmental concerns-- particularly in international development-- was a wonderful complement to the SPEA faculty in the 1980s and 90s. His wit was sharp, but forgiving. He will be missed by those fortunate enough to have known him; future generations, alas, will miss him too.

Историята ми с Рандал Бейкър започна с едно телефонно позвъняване.
Проф.д-р Бисера Вълева е преподавател в катедра „Визуални изкуства” на Софийски Университет „Св.Климент Охридски”, където няколко години по-рано завърших магистратура, а тя ми беше курсов ръководител. Не я бях чувала отдавна и се изненадах приятно. Попита ме дали бих искала да се срещна с един човек, уелсец, който преподава в Нов Български Университет и който търси илюстратор за книгите си. Поколебах се за секунда, защото никога не се бях занимавала професионално с илюстрации и не знаех какво ще се очаква от мен, но приех предизвикателството. Тя ме свърза с приятелка на проф.Бейкър - Виолета Цонева, която щеше да ни бъде преводач на срещата. Моят английски беше на ниво „разбирам, но трудно говоря”, а неговият български по негови думи: „разбирам съвсем малко, колкото да си поръчам обяд в ресторанта, защото всички ми говорят само на английски”, заради което и почти всичките ни бъдещи срещи бяха в присъствие на асистенти в превода. 

Запознахме се в неделя, в сладкарница „Неделя”, беше 16 март 2014г.
Още щом влезе ми направи голямо впечатление с яркия си вид - съчетание на интензивно синя риза и синьо-оранжева вратовръзка. Личност с особено, тънко чувство за хумор, остър ум и страшно богат житейски опит. Поговорихме доста, показах му снимки на творчеството си през последните години, за да прецени дали му допада стила ми и се разбрахме да се чуем отново след време, когато дойде моментът за книгата.

И той дойде на следващата година - 2015-та.
Първите илюстрации и корица, които създадох за Рандал бяха за книгата "Странни места, интересни хора". И до сега те са ми най-скъпи на сърцето, заради отношението му, пълната свобода, която ми даде при рисуването и интерпретирането на текста, първия ми опит в илюстрирането на книга, трепета от това ново за мен занимание...

Последваха 5 години, в които ми повери илюстрациите и кориците за книгите „Студената война на горещо място”, „(Не)преходни промени”, „Изгубените балкани”, „Преобърнати животи”, както и някои рисунки към книги, които бяха написани, но все още неиздадени. Искрено се надявам да видят бял свят някой ден! Това беше и едно от нещата, които ми направиха впечатление при последната ни среща в галерия „Сан Стефано Плаза”, където имахме разговор с галеристката за евентуален общ бъдещ проект. Спокойно пиехме кафе, говорехме и той каза нещо, което не ми се стори типично за него – „Какво ли ще стане с всички неиздадени ръкописи, когато мен няма да ме има...”, не бях останала с впечатление, че е човек, мислещ за смъртта. Две седмици по-късно почина.

Общувахме понякога чрез съобщения. Обичаше да ми коментира снимките в интернет, където си разменяхме шеги за шапките, които и давамата носехме, а понякога ми казваше, че имам мистично излъчване и му напомням на някоя жена от много древни времена, шегувахме се доста.

Поверявайки ми работата по облика на книгите му през годините, той ме покани да го придружа в едно от най-интересните и градивни приключения в живота ми.

Огромно БЛАГОДАРЯ за доверието и признанието, Рандал!

Липсваш...

My wife had reminded me numerous times to write Dr. Baker over the past many months that I had been put away due to various excuses. We both came across Dr. Baker's news on Facebook after looking for an update so I could finally write him. The world has lost one of its most erudite and kind people and one of the last remaining gentlemen. We are so sorry to have lost him. Dr. Baker was my inspiration and constant support in the 2 years that I was at SPEA, supporting him as his TA. I learned to teach, empathize and grow as a person under his guidance. Our relationship blossomed as he took me under his wing and I learned about his passion for Central Asia, and an old world charm that I had grown up to so love in India. He will be forever missed.

  The world is full of interesting people, but Randall Baker truly stands out as one of a kind. Not many of us know someone who is a man of the world, fashionable, intellectually curious, analytically precise, and knowledgeable about almost any subject you might happen bring up. Randall was that person. At the same time, he was absolutely down to earth, disarming and playful, with a sly sense of humor that could be biting but was mostly gentle and good-natured.
  Randall’s academic interests in global environmental policies took him to more than 90 countries. He kept journals of first-hand observations of local culture and social behavior, many of which were spun off as travel memoirs, with photos and apt graphic touches, sent to friends around the world. He was an avid writer and a born storyteller. You could sense his joie de vivre in making anywhere he had ever been sound like the most interesting, historically relevant, and welcoming—or the opposite—place imaginable. He captured how people went about facing life’s daily challenges, for better or worse, while remaining sympathetic to their efforts. These memoirs are a delight to read, vivid in details about peoples, places, and natural surrroundings. His tongue-in-cheek humor describing a trip to introduce his Bulgarian friend Tsvetan to England and Wales is great fun. But it is the atmospheric charm depicted in “The Magic Railroad” that really lets you understand what attracted him to Bulgaria where, at long last, he felt “at home”.
  I had heard of Randall mainly by reputation during the the early years that I worked at Indiana University. Sometime in 2006, our International Programs division received a grant from the US Embassy in Pretoria, South Africa, to provide a week of introductory lectures by a small group of professors on US history, political and socio-economic policies—Randall’s domain—and the African American experience. It was there that I got to know Randall up close and observe his enthusiastic teaching style accompanied by jazzy PowerPoint slides, and his ability to hold the attention of an eager audience with fact as well as fun.
  It was the beginning of a lively friendship, mostly via email and international post, between Randall and me and my husband Paul Newman that continued for the next decade and a half. Over the years, he kept us up to date, sending elegantly designed letterheads in envelopes covered in vivid Bulgarian (or other) stamps and amusing self-created franking marks. Addresses and letters were often hand-written in neat calligraphy. There were various years when we would be on short trips to Europe and considered visiting him, but the timing was always out of sync and Bulgaria, though officially within the EU, seemed so far off to the southeast. It wasn’t until October of last year (2019) that we (with our son Michael) made it to Vienna and from there finally on to Sofia. It was a wonderful reunion, more than a dozen years since Randall had left Bloomington. Sadly, it was our last chance to appreciate Randall’s love for his adopted land, spend time with lovely, talented Lucy, and meet two of his close friends, Violeta Tsoneva and Ivan Mladenov.
  These days it is not hard to imagine Randall’s thoughts about the current world crisis. In a prescient letter he wrote to us in 2009 during the time of the swine flu epidemic, he feared that there would come a future global pandemic for which the world would simply not be adequately prepared.

I am deeply saddened of the loss of Professor Baker. We all will miss the presence of the truly kind and wise person he was. My deepest sympathy to his family.

I have always missed you both since you left Bloomington. Lucy, I am so sorry for your loss.
Diana

Well, I will start from the bare beginning. My first meeting with Randall was a big coincidence. I was looking for a job related to writing. I wrote to my favorite professor from university and asked him if he had heard of somebody searching to hire someone like me. He wrote me back that he didn’t. On the next day he texted me that a friend of his told him that prof. Randall Baker is searching for a personal assistant and sent me his vita. I was very intrigued by that colorful person only by what I read about him.
We met on 20th of January 2017. He was living 10 minutes away from my home which was another lucky coincidence. Our first meeting lasted for 4-5 hours after which I went back home with copies of all of his books and keys from his home. And that’s how it all began.

We were working together for the last 3 years. We managed to publish two new books (“The Lost Balkans” and “Lives Upside Down”) and two second editions of another books of his (“Strange Places, Interesting People” and “(Non)transitional Changes”) in Bulgaria and one book in Wales (“In Passing”). Randall was a great professional, mentor and friend with a very sharp mind and awesome sense of humor. And I am very happy that the Universe gave me the chance to have someone like him in my life. I learned so much about life from him.

Half of the year Randall was spending in Sofia, Bulgaria and the springs and the summers he was spending in an adorable cottage in Wales – right next to a protected area and 10 minutes away with car from the nearest village. Around the cottage there were sheep, rabbits and birds. In the spring of 2017 I went there for two weeks and I can see why he loved that place – it was the definition of calmness. There we had our first argument on which we agreed to disagree forever – if the food expires or not. While I was in Wales we had great time, I met some of his friends and he showed me plenty of magical places around that made me want to be a celt as well. Also we managed to save the life of a hedgehog that was trapped and suffering – we were very proud of ourselves afterwards.

The thing I loved the most was when we were sharing experience of “reading people” and also – when we were doing so. He was showing me some signs on how to read people better and I was showing him other methods that I was using. During these 3 years Randall became such a close friend of mine that at some point I started considering him as a part of my family. That I realized when he came to spent Christmas Eve with my family in 2019. He had no other plans so I invited him to come with my family. He already knew my mother, grandmother and grandfather, because they came to the book launches, and all three of them loved his books. We spent a very nice evening, before which I gave him instructions that he must come as hungry as possible because without being able to tell them that he is full and they won’t consider my translation. When he came with a bottle of wine he told me that he didn’t eat anything for the whole day. Despite all his efforts my grandma told me “But he ate almost nothing!” (Bulgarian grandma standards) and gave him several boxes of food to bring home. It was a very nice and cozy evening and we all were a bit fatter on the next day.

Randall kept on telling me that the world is becoming worse and worse place to live. Now I can picture him in my head with a glass of red wine and a smile on his face, saying “You see, I told you so!”

You will remain in my heart forever, Randall.

1984 to 1995: Randall’s Marriage to our daughter Susan Andrea Hobbs

  Randall met our daughter Susan in Fiji in 1984. Susan had joined the Peace Corps shortly after graduating from Williams College and was teaching high school mathematics in Nadi, Fiji. Randall was there representing the European Community to the government of Fiji. Susan became fluent in Hindi, taught students using that language, and even compiled a dictionary of the dialect of Hindi spoken in Fiji. As a couple, Susan and Randall bonded immediately. In 1988, after two terms in the Peace Corps, Susan moved to Bloomington, Indiana, where Randall had returned to his role as a professor at the IU School of Public and Environmental Affairs. Susan earned a Master of Arts degree in Applied Linguistics from Indiana University and became a qualified teacher of English as a second language. She served as a copy editor for several organizations before joining the staff of the IU Office of Publications, where she worked for seven years.
  On August 4, 1990, Susan and Randall were married in Bloomington. Three years later they officially adopted a son, Eldar Urumbaev, who had grown up in Russia. Susan and Randall had an incredible 11 years of life together until her untimely death from non-Hodgkin's lymphoma in Bloomington on March 7, 1995 – at the age of 35.
  Verity and I were so shocked and upset to learn of Randall's sudden death, especially since he had planned to visit us here in Toronto on his trip to North America. (Sadly, most likely COVID-19 would have made such a visit impossible.)
  We wish to reach out to Lucy Laffoon to offer her our condolences at this very difficult moment.

            Toronto, Canada   pvhobbs@gmail.com

I was his student at New Bulgarian University,  2007-2009. Miss you so much dear professor Baker, I am so lucky that I had a chance to know you and I appreciated the guidance and mentoring you provided with a touch of English humor, that I missed at times. :) Great writer and mentor.

You will be remembered!

Having briefly met in University College, Swansea, I did not really get to know Randall until 40 years later. It turns out that my wife Ceinwen was at one time his sister-in-law.
Trying to set up a reunion of fellow Geographers, which he could not attend, set us up in correspondence lasting many years. We met several times whilst he visited Wales and engaged in many lengthy, if one-sided, discussions and stories!
I have kept his correspondence because they are works of art; the envelopes, stamps and postmarks all exquisitely and precisely aligned. His beautiful handwriting and flowing prose on illustrated writing paper was always meticulously presented.
Randall was fiercely proud of his Welsh roots. He was incredulous of the political situation in Wales at present, arguing that as a country we need complete autonomy within the European Union and that at once.
'Gwlad, gwlad, pleidiol wyf i'm gwlad.'
These words are from the national anthem of Wales meaning 'My country, my country, passionately true to my country.'

I was his student at SPEA, Bloomington, IN in 1994-1996. He was a world level professor in public administration and environmental policy. He is also a well-known writer with many readers all over the world. It is hard to beleive that he is no more with us. Still his academic works and literary legacy has made and is making
this world better. 

Such sad news! I was honoured to have Professor Randall Baker as my professor in ADA back in 2009-2011, and it was his wisdom, his sense of humour and his openness and modesty which I will never forget. For over a decade we have been constantly in touch, and the wise advise, funny witty jokes and your presence in my facebook timeline has been important. Very saddened by the news. You will be missed, Professor Baker.

Miss you so much dear Dr. Baker, I am so lucky that I had a chance to work with you at ADA University in Baku. I appreciated the guidance and mentoring you provided with a touch of English humor, that I missed at times. :) But became better at catching it to the point I was able to "translate" it to others :). I loved TPU and I read it once in a while to validate some of my experiences at higher education :). Thank you for the joy and for the friendship. Shams

I fondly remember Professor Baker at SPEA. He was an inspiration and helpful early in my academic career. His sense of humor and intellect are memorable.

Dear Dr. Baker,
I still cannot believe that you are not with us as you passed away so suddenly.
And I am still waiting for your letter... I still regret that I did not reply to your last mail in January.
I am missing your warm friendship, your Lucy is definitely, I guess. And your vast collection of letter pads, envelopes and stamps are missing their owner and waiting for you to use them again.
I will read your books and come back here again to leave my comments and thoughts on your books.
We, Lucy, Violeta-san, Kamelia-san and I, will continue good friendship through letters as well as messenger.
I really thank you, Violeta-san, Lucy and Kamelia-san who introduced you to me first and God to sent me to Bulgaria where I could find such a wonderful friendship.
Rest in peace, my dear friend. And once again, thank you for always supporting me.

So difficult to write anything on this sad occasion. I've met Dr. Randal Baker, when actually he had met me at Indianapolis airport in August 1995 accompanied by other Muskie fellow Dima from Russia. Then, we spent wonderful two years in Bloomington at SPEA, attending parties in his blessed and unusual house. After I came back to Azerbaijan, at the end of 1990s and then, in the beginning of 2000s he supported first the Western University, then, ADA University in Azerbaijan in strengthening their curricula, with the exchange programs, etc. We've spent so much time together, encountering different, sometimes very unusual events that found its reflection in his books. Some of them were really fairy-like, with a very low chance of occurrence, but nevertheless happening. And each time we tried to find logical explanation to them, but of course, failed as it was not possible to find the logic in magic. Dr. Baker loved Azerbaijan. When he decided to move out of the US, he had two options under consideration, Bulgaria and Azerbaijan. He opted for Bulgaria, but was coming to Azerbaijan quite often, each time mentioning how much he loves to be here. Our last email communication was on March 1, less than a month ago, when he was boarding a flight from Sofia to the US. And today, - this sad news. It is a great loss, for me personally as well. I feel that lost part of my own life. I think, his family must be proud that gave birth to such a person, very intelligent, intellectual, with the very British sense of humor, very human, with many difficulties in his personal life, however, always in search of something new, new knowledge, new people, new encounters and new emotions. We, his nearest and dearest, his extended family lost a person that brought so much joy and positivism in our own lives. Dear Dr. Baker, if there is some communication between this and the other world, be sure that we will remember you and that we will miss you very much.

За първи път видях Рандъл Бейкър преди повече от десет години в кафенето на втори корпус на Нов български университет. Запозна ни моята преподавателка проф. Албена Бакрачева. По онова време, проф. Бейкър, който от неотдавна живееше в България, си търсеше асистентка, която да му помага с маркетинга на книгите му. Като човек, който обича да отива подготвен на подобни срещи, бях прочела информацията, която предоставя интернет за него, както и автобиографията му, която беше зашеметяваща, и определено изпитвах освен притеснение и огромно уважение към човек с такива постижения зад гърба си. Не очаквах, че ще разговарям около един час с някой, който освен, че е много ерудиран, същевременно е толкова земен, неподправен и с чудесно чувство за хумор. Така започна нашето първоначално сътрудничество, което по-късно прерасна в приятелство.

Поради натоварения си график не успях дълго време да изпълнявам функцията си на „асистент“, но продължихме да се срещаме в „Чайната“ (Чай във фабриката) на ул. „Георги Бенковски“ №11. Той казваше, че това място носи духът на 50-те години. Освен това, предлагаха чудесен индийски чай и често имаше джаз групи, които очароваха с изпълненията си. А ние разговаряхме на най-различни теми – лични и глобални. Пишехме си и писма. Рандъл казваше, че е старомоден, и че когато неговото поколение си отиде, никой няма да изпраща повече картички или писма. Оказа се, че и аз съм старомодна, защото обичах този начин на комуникация. Когато не успявах да му изпратя писмо по пощата, пишех такова в Word, а той ми казваше, че ги разпечатва. Писмата ни бяха цветни. Всеки, който е получавал писмо от Рандъл Бейкър (а той пишеше на много хора), ще разбере за какво говоря. Подбираше красиви пощенски марки, като истински колекционер и поставяше печат, изработен специално за него с името му. Веднъж получих плик, на гърба на който имаше надпис:
Това е писмо. Ако този начин на комуникация ви е непознат:
1. Отворете плика с нож.
2. Извадете съдържанието и прочетете внимателно.
3. Отговорете на писмото.
Дълго време не можах да спра смеха си.

Едно от най-ценните и приятни неща, като погледна назад, беше когато обсъждахме книгите му. Той се вълнуваше и ми казваше, че иска те да се четат. Не говореше за научните си трудове, тъй като те бяха предназначени за тесен кръг публика. Говореше за книгите, в които по невероятно забавен и интересен начин, описваше преживяванията си, странните обстоятелства, които често са го съпровождали, политическата обстановка, характерна за мястото, където е бил, необикновените хора, които е срещал по пътя си. Ако някой иска да опознае поне част от Рандъл Бейкър, може да поеме на това изключително пътешествие, което са книгите му.

Рандъл винаги гледаше напред. Беше запазил непокътнати спомените от местата, където е бил и споделяше, че не би се върнал там, защото всичко вече ще е различно. Той вярваше, че на всеки десет години, трябва да направи някаква драстична промяна в живота си, за да не е в застой, а да бъде предизвикан, да продължи да се развива. Винаги беше зает. Имаше проекти, ангажименти, срещи с хора. Често ми казваше, че се предполага, че е пенсионер. Но духът му не беше на човек, който се е „оттеглил“. Енергията му да създава нещо ново беше неизчерпаема. Енергията му и да помага на хората около него, също. През 2011 г. в много труден за мен момент, Рандъл ми показа, колко стойностен и добър човек е, нещо което бях разбрала, но едва тогава осъзнах. За мен този жест беше и си остава безценен.

В живота си човек среща много и най-различни хора. Но само някои оставят трайна следа. За мен Рандъл Бейкър беше Човек-Вселена. Може би защото обичаше да се шегува, че е от друга планета. Дори да използвам всички прилагателни, които могат да опишат човек, те няма да ми стигнат, за да изразя каква личност беше той. Скъп приятел, който винаги ще нося в сърцето си.

Miss you my friend! Miss your sense of humor and our "to be" visits to the Sam Doydoh pub. Rest in peace!

I met Randall when I was a Fulbright Scholar in Baku nearly a decade ago. He served as my mentor during my stay at the Azerbaijan Diplomatic Academy and showed me the city of Baku, along with his dear friend Violeta. The three of us kept in touch via social media, and I was able to meet up with them, along with Lucy and Robert, in Sophia in October for a city tour and memorable dinner. Randall was an intelligent and interesting professor and writer with a wonderful sense of humor. He will be missed greatly.

We are lucky enough to have a second home in Sofia and some years ago we came across a book entitled Bulgariana. It was a fascinating read so we made contact with its author and arranged to meet for coffee and cake (In true Randall style, of course, it turned out to be red wine and cake!). As fellow Celts with a similar sense of humour we hit it off immediately and a friendship matured. We will so miss Randall because he could charm the birds from the trees, because he was the only one who wrote actual letters to us, because he was the supreme conversationalist, because his humour permeated every interaction, because he was our ‘go to’ guy in Sofia but most of all we will miss him because he was our friend.
Ni bheidh a leathaid ann aris.  Ian and Siun

Randall Baker was a wonderfully amusing man! He always managed to make me laugh, which is the greatest gift you can give someone! I called him Professor, although I was not his student. But in a sense, we were all his students in the University of Life!
He created a very apt nickname for his third home, Bulgaria, which he so appropriately dubbed Cassandria - the land of bad news. He bestowed on me the great privilege of naming me an honorary citizen of the country of "Cassandria" - I still have the beautifully fancy certificate he gave me by my bed. His motto for Cassandria was: "It can't be done"! It rings so true! Randall's sense of humor and feeling for the absurd made him a thoroughly delightful and erudite companion. You were never bored in his presence. We shared many a glass of red wine together, while he reminisced about all his wondrous adventures all over the globe. His prolific writing will live on and forever keep his memory alive. His impeccable and eccentric fashion style always amazed me and brought a great deal of joy to me and to all who could appreciate it. He was a man who took pleasure in the finer things in life and was a shining example of a true gentleman in every way! I will surely miss him a great deal! Happy travels in the Great Beyond, dear Professor! ❤️✨

He was Godfather for all international students at IUB. We always were able to find help and support from him. I personally owe him my success and achievements. He made me who I am now.

I only met you one time, on my first visit to Sofia to see Violeta , but was looking forward so much to spending some time with you both again... RIP Randall! Love and Light to you and all of yours!

Farewell Randall
I was so looking forward to seeing you in Bloomington.
I’m choosing to remember a wonderful time when you visited my father, Lynton Keith Caldwell, toward the end of his life. He rarely had visitors at that time, but your visit made him feel important again. You discussed the state and fate of the world and you brought him joy! I served tea and life was good.
Thank you for being part of our lives.
Sending love and light to all!
Elaine Caldwell Emmi

The Frog phone is not in use. No eating out at The Two Pints. My snail mail box is empty without your letters and postcards. Our Messenger-based group of four misses you. The Tcherga red wine bottle is waiting. Bara Brith, the Welsh Language tablecloth, and the Welsh dragon cookie cutter keep the Welsh spirit and my memories of you at my place. The long bookshelf of your books in our home library will not be extended by new ones written by you. All Fools' Day this year will be a sad one for me. I find it very difficult to live without you around. Rest in Peace.

My visits to Bulgaria won't be the same. Randall's energy and achievements will continue to be an inspiration.

You are missed more and more as each day passes. I love you very much....