FRESNO, Calif. (Associated Press) - Carol Tomlinson-Keasey, a lifelong educator who looked at a Merced farm field and envisioned a University of California research university, died Saturday. She was 66.

Tomlinson-Keasey, who had breast cancer, died in Decatur, Ga., according to UC Merced.

Tomlinson-Keasey was the school's chancellor until 2006, when she stepped down to return to teaching and to write a book about the building of the school. She had retired in 2007 and moved to Georgia.

The university's current chancellor, Steve Kang, said the campus, which opened in 2005, would not exist had she not been able to persuade a reluctant Legislature the region was underserved by the University of California system.

Tomlinson-Keasey was vice provost for academic initiatives in the office of the university system president when she was appointed in 1998 to lead planning efforts for the state's 10th UC campus.

She overcame budget obstacles and environmental concerns to preside over the university's groundbreaking in 2002 and grand opening in 2005.

First Lady Michelle Obama spoke in May at the commencement ceremony.

A developmental psychologist, Tomlinson-Keasey wrote for over 40 years about child development, how gifted children realize their cognitive potential, and career development among women.