CDA native who oversaw the Channel Tunnel dies

Jack Lemley, born in Coeur d'Alene and credited with the success of the Channel Tunnel linking England with France, died Nov. 29.

He was 86.

Lemley led a long career after his graduation from the University of Idaho in 1960. For more than 50 years, he worked for major companies in engineering and construction.

In 1978 Jack returned to Idaho and took up a senior position with Morrison Knudsen Company and was immediately charged with construction of King Khalid Military City "KKMC" in Saudi Arabia. Throughout the 1980s Jack supervised projects all around the world for Morrison Knudsen.

By 1989, he was in charge of the $12 billion Channel Tunnel, a 31-mile underground railroad. The project 140 feet below the bed of the English Channel had been in trouble for three years. Lemley was hired to fix it and did.

Upon completion of the "Chunnel," Lemley returned to Idaho and founded Lemley International Inc., a global management and consulting firm established to serve public and private clients worldwide.

In 2005 Jack assumed authority for delivering the infrastructure for the London Olympics in 2012, but due to concerns over scheduling issues he left the project in 2006. He returned to Lemley International and ultimately retired in 2012.

In retirement Lemley worked with educational institutions, served on company boards (Idaho Power), rode his bike and spent time in Ketchum.

He was awarded the Engineering News Record "Man of the Year" in 1991.

"Throughout his professional career Jack always found solutions to enormous problems by bringing people together across many cultures and languages to see the unified vision and then execute on that vision as a team. Jack was captivated by the intractable problem and the search for the solution," his obituary said.

Jack is survived by his wife of 35 years, Pamela Lemley, and his extended family.