Foreman leaves legacy of service, loyalty

Harold Wayne “Chub” Foreman ’61, a longtime friend of NMSU and the College of Engineering, passed away in March 2023 at age 84.

Foreman and his brother, Ed Foreman ’55, were lifelong supporters of NMSU and the College of Engineering. A member of the Civil Engineering Academy, in 1988 Foreman was named one of the top 100 NMSU College of Engineering alumni. Together, the brothers established the Ed and Harold Foreman Endowed Chair in Engineering, along with two professorships, and in 2006, the Ed and Harold Foreman Engineering Complex was named in their honor. They were each awarded honorary doctorates in 2008.

Raised on a peanut and sweet potato farm in Portales, New Mexico, Foreman attended Eastern New Mexico University for two years before transferring to NMSU. While at ENMU, he met Carol Knapp on a blind date, and she eventually became his wife of 64 years. 

After graduating from NMSU, Foreman worked on the Flaming Gorge Dam in Dutch John, Utah, and for several years worked for Peter Kiewit Sons’ Construction on a variety of projects across the country. He later went to work for E.L. Yeager Construction as a project engineer for the construction of the Lopez Dam. 

When Chub and Carol Foreman returned to Las Cruces in 1968, they made it their forever home. Foreman worked for the largest sand and gravel company in the region for more than a decade before starting Valley Leasing and Development and becoming a contractor, builder, property manager and real estate broker.

Foreman’s passion for helping his community led him to serve two terms in the New Mexico State Senate. He was involved in a dozen community organizations, including Mesilla Valley Hospice, Big Brothers/Big Sisters, the Rio Grande Rotary Club, University United Methodist Church and the Amador Museum Foundation. Foreman also served NMSU in many capacities, including several terms on the NMSU Foundation Board of Directors. Every person he met was drawn to his warm smile and boundless energy. His tremendous legacy makes NMSU an even better place for students today.