Joseph S. Chalfant, a founder of the James Graham Brown Cancer Center, died Thursday at his home in New Albany, Ind., after a short illness. He was 68.

Chalfant was the co-chairman and the last original member of the Regional Cancer Center Corp., a nonprofit group formed in the late 1970s that raised more than $12 million to build the Louisville center that opened in 1982.

As a board member since the beginning, Chalfant worked to bring the center to national prominence.

He was a longtime advocate of gaining National Cancer Institute recognition as a comprehensive cancer center.

Chalfant “dedicated the last 25 years to the cancer center,” director Dr. Donald M. Miller said Thursday. “He really is the spirit and the pillar of the cancer center.”

The Brown Cancer Center was turned over to the University of Louisville in 1987. It is now governed by University Medical Center, with representatives from the UofL Medical School, Norton Healthcare and Jewish Hospital.

Chalfant was a management consultant who owned Shaw International in New Albany. He also was a former chairman and president of Mid-Continent Corp. and was an industrial engineer for Colgate Palmolive Co.

Survivors include his wife of 45 years, the former Harriet Strange; sons, Matt Chalfant and Marty Chalfant; a daughter, Peggy Carpenter; a brother, Ray Chalfant and several grandchildren.

His funeral will be at 10 a.m. Monday in the chapel of Kraft Funeral Service in New Albany.