Duane was born August 20, 1932 at Gales Township, MN, to Harry and Jane (Reynolds) Flesner. He graduated from Walnut Grove High School in 1950. Duane married Patricia Vickerman. In April of 1953 he was drafted and sent to Fort Lewis, WA for training. He became a troop information and education specialist in Company C of the 9th Engineer Combat Battalion. The Korean War ended before he was deployed.

Following the war, Duane and Pat returned to Walnut Grove with their first child, Jeri. After spending a few years in Walnut Grove and having two more children, Jeff and Doug, they moved to Spearfish in 1962. In 1966 they moved to a ranch on Crook City Road and started a dairy in the late 1960's. While in the Spearfish area they had two more children, Chris and Joel. In 1969, Duane started his own electrical business, F&S Electric, which operated for 24 years. Duane's wife of 30 years passed away 1981. Duane was remarried to Betty Couch in 1984. They purchased and ran a campground in 1985. In the early 1990's, Duane retired from the electrical business; they sold the campground and moved to Sundance, WY, where they lived for the last 18 years.

Harry Duane Flesner, 80, of Sturgis, died, Monday, September 3, 2012 at Rapid City Regional Hospital.

Funeral services will be Friday, September 7, 2012 at 1:00 p.m. at Kinkade Funeral Chapel in Sturgis with Rev. Harold Holder officiating. A closed casket visitation will be Thursday, September 6, 2012 from 3:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. with the family present from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. Interment will be at Rose Hill Cemetery in Spearfish.

Duane is survived by his by wife Betty of Sturgis; children, Jeri (Bill) Griffis of Ft. Lupton, CO, Jeff (Marge) Flesner of Spearfish, Doug (Mary) Flesner of Sturgis, Chris (Jo Ellen) Flesner of Sioux Falls, Joel (Mary) Flesner of Spearfish, Jill Ites of Mankato, MN, Mark (Melodee) Ulmer of Sturgis, Kelly (Becky) Ulmer of Marysville, KS; sixteen grandchildren and twenty-one great-grandchildren.

Duane was preceded in death by both parents, his first wife Patricia, sister Avis Quinley, sister Ethel Meld and sister Evangeline Fasnacht.

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