Charles Lembke

Charles Lembke passed away on Aug. 12, 1989, just weeks after his 100th birthday and shortly after he had been notified of his induction into the UNM Athletic Hall of Honor. He was extremely honored to be part of a ceremony that took place during the year of his and the University’s 100th birthday.

As a student at UNM from 1908-12, Lembke earned 10 athletic letters in football, basketball and baseball. He was named to the New Mexico and All-Territorial basketball team and was described as a “brilliant, speedy and reliable athlete.”

An active campus leader, Lembke was simultaneously President of the UNM Society of Engineers, Class President and Student Body President; a member of Tri-Alpha fraternity (eventually Pi Kappa Alpha), and manager of the Glee Club, the UNM Weekly (now Daily Lobo) and the Mirage yearbook.

On May 27, 1912, Lembke became the first Civil Engineering graduate of UNM.

At various times, Lembke was a UNM Regent, President of the Albuquerque Rotary Club and the Albuquerque Country Club; ex-officio mayor of Albuquerque, President of Lembke Construction Co., and national treasurer of the Associated General Contractors of America.

In 1972, Lembke received the UNM Alumni Association’s Award of Distinction. He also was the recipient of numerous awards from construction and engineering organizations.

Charles Lembke Construction was responsible for many buildings on the UNM campus: Hokona, Coronado, Onate and Santa Clara residence halls; the College of Business Administration; Geology and Fine Arts, Basic Sciences for the School of Medicine, Popejoy Hall, and his favorite, Johnson Gym.