Longtime UNMC supporter, Charles Durham, dies

Charles Durham at the groundbreaking for the Michael F. Sorrell Center for Health Science Education in 2006.

Charles W. “Chuck” Durham, one of UNMC’s strongest supporters and most generous donors, died Saturday. He was 90.

Durham, chairman and chief executive of Durham Resources, built Omaha-based HDR Inc., into an international architectural and engineering company. At UNMC, his name was synonymous with research excellence as he, and his late wife, Margre, donated untold millions to transform the state’s only public academic health science center.

“Chuck Durham was literally a giant, not only in Nebraska, but beyond,” said UNMC Chancellor Harold M. Maurer, M.D. “He did great things for UNMC because he felt that he could make a lasting impact by supporting health care, particularly health care research … You only meet a person like Chuck once in a lifetime. He was a wonderful friend of Beverly and me for a long time. It was difficult to hear the news that this legendary leader was gone. Our heartfelt wishes go out to his family.”

Funeral services are scheduled for 3 p.m. Wednesday at Countryside Community Church, 8787 Pacific St.

Durham’s philanthropic contributions to UNMC have included:

• The single largest contribution ever to support construction of the Durham Research Center and a new employee parking structure in 2003;
  
• The creation of a permanent endowment fund through the University of Nebraska Foundation in 1998 to support innovative education and research programs in three key areas — arthritis, prostate and breast cancer, and minimally invasive surgery;
  
• A donation that allowed UNMC to become only the eighth medical center in the country to acquire the computer-assisted/robotic da Vinci Surgical System, which is affectionately called “Chuck.”
  
• A lead gift for, what is presently referred to as, the Research Center of Excellence II. Now under construction on the west end of campus, the building will be nearly identical to the Durham Research Center. It is expected to open in early 2009.

Durham is survived by his son, Steve Durham of Dallas; daughters, Sunny Lundgren and Lynne Boyer, both of Omaha, and Debby Durham of Fremont, Neb.; nine grandchildren and six great-grandchildren.

For more on Durham and his impact on UNMC, read Tuesday’s UNMC Today.