Undergraduate and Learning

Research and Graduate Education

College Briefs

Alumni

• Alumni Calendar
• Class Notes
• College’s career services open to alums
• Keepsake photo revisited
• It's class reunion time
• Alumni volunteers make a difference
• Alum to direct NASA's Dryden Center
• Alum gives gift of scholarship
• In Memoriam
• What's new with you?

Cross Cutting

Back to Muses Issue Listing

In memoriam

Iowa State University lost a true friend last October. Leslie W. Huncke, BSEngr’32, of Leawood, Kansas, died at the age of 92. After an illustrious career in engineering, he retired as president and owner of the Wm. A. Smith Contracting Company, an eminently successful railroad construction firm that completed difficult and unique projects around the globe.

MSE Assistant Professor Alan Russell said, “Huncke had a career that most engineers can only dream about; the surface of the earth is quite literally etched with his accomplishments.” Among many other projects, he worked on boring large water tunnels through the mountains of Colorado to transport western slope water to large populations on the eastern slope—long before the availability of laser surveying tools.

In retirement, Huncke was devoted to improving higher education. He gave generously to colleges and universities nationwide and established a student loan fund nearly 50 years ago that has assisted thousands of young people. He was one of ISU’s most generous donors: The Iowa State Center, the stadium, the library, the engineering and design colleges, the English department, and students have all benefited from Les Huncke’s devotion to his alma mater.