Danny L. Flansburg

Danny Lee Flansburg, 72, of Ogallala, NE was called home to his highest mountain top at the right hand of the Lord on Sunday, August 14th, 2022.  Danny loved the outdoors, fishing, hunting and creatures great and small.  Danny loved his hot tub and a cold beverage with a friend.  But most of all, Danny loved his family fiercely.
Danny was born to parents Alfred (Fritz) Flansburg, Adelia Unabel “Una” (Garber) Flansburg on October 4th, 1949 and was the oldest of four boys.  In his early years, he spent as much time as he could on his Grandpa Dan Garber’s ranch near Pierre, South Dakota.  He loved horses and rode a horse to the country school there.

In third grade, Danny’s parents moved to Denver.  He graduated from Bear Creek High School in 1968 where basketball was his sport and he averaged 22 points per game.  He later went to Western Wyoming Junior College in Rock Springs, WY on a basketball scholarship.

In 1970 he moved back to Denver to work in his Dad’s business, Fritz’s Auto Alignment & Repair, and in 1971 the family moved to Yellowstone National Park as proud owners of the campground called Huckleberry Hot Springs which boasted a natural hot spring Olympic-sized swimming pool.  Danny and his family loved this place and formed many good memories of snowmobiling, hunting and working together.

In 1975, Danny met the love of his life, Carla (Forsstrom), through mutual friends Mike & Christy O’Hara.  They were married in 1976 in Ogallala, NE and lived in Green River, WY for 3 years where Danny worked for Texas Gulf as an electrician.  Then in 1979 they moved back to Ogallala to help Carla’s parents, Dale & Betty Forsstrom, with their business called Pioneer Trails Restaurant.   During this time Danny and Carla proudly welcomed their two sons, Darby in 1979 and Dustin in 1981.

Also in the early 1980’s, Danny & Carla embarked on several decades of owning & operating businesses together.  They started with owning and operating Kingsley Lodge, where Danny thoroughly enjoyed interacting with tourists and promoting Lake McConaughy.  They also owned a Sears Catalog Store, Dairy King, and opened Arby’s in Ogallala in 1989 and owned and operated it until 1998 with the whole family chipping in to make it a local favorite.  Danny found that he truly enjoyed sales and decided to try selling boats at Big Mac Marine, which led to opening his own boat sales & service shop, Dan’s Marine in 2000 which he ran for 12 years.  Danny’s final job before retiring in 2017 was a loader operator at Ogallala Ready Mix, where he said he loved his job “building sandcastles”.  

Through all of their business adventures, Danny’s strength was always in visiting with customers, telling outrageous stories and building loyal customers through relationships.  Though many who knew Danny would have called his tales far-fetched, Danny’s many life experiences found him in some unique situations that offered him the ability to tell true stories, even if they were slightly embellished. Fishing, boating, hunting and playing sports were Danny’s favorite things to do with his sons Darby and Dustin, and it carried right into time spent with his 5 grandchildren doing the exact same things. He enjoyed spoiling his animals with abundant food and creature comforts.  Danny was a simple man who took great pleasure in the simple things in life; a cold beverage, a good view and his family nearby made Danny a happy man. 

Danny is survived by his wife, Carla Flansburg of Ogallala, NE; Sons Darby (Erica) Flansburg of Ogallala, NE, Dustin (Liesel) Flansburg of Falcon, CO; Grandchildren Sadie, Tenlie, Addlie, Gavin and Cason; Brothers Miles (Linda) Flansburg of Parker, CO, Lyle (Kani) Flansburg of Pine Grove, CA and sister-in-law Cathy Flansburg of Rock Springs, WY; Mother-in-law Betty Forsstrom of Ogallala, NE; Sister-in-law Kathy (Gene) Collins of Castle Rock, CO; Brother-in-law Doug (Kristin) Forsstrom and a host of aunts, uncles, nieces, nephews, family and friends.
Danny is preceded in death by his parents Fritz and Una Flansburg; Brother Robert “Bob” Flansburg and father-in-law Dale Forsstrom.

A memorial service for Danny will be held on Friday, August 19th at 11:00AM at the United Methodist Church of Ogallala, 421 N. Spruce.  Memorials in Dan’s memory can be made to the family for a park bench at Lake Ogallala or to the United Methodist Church of Ogallala.

Services will be live streamed from www.drauckerfh.com and www.methodistchurchogallala.com.

Draucker Funeral Home of Ogallala is in charge of arrangements. Online condolences may be sent by going to www.drauckerfh.com by clicking the share a memory button.

To send flowers to the family, please visit our floral store.