F. Duane Flink

F. Duane was born to Alice Margaret (Johnson) Flink and Frank William Flink in rural Newman Grove, Nebraska. He spent his first ten years happily on that farm. Things changed during “the dust bowl” years. Farms failed and in 1936 Duane’s family moved “to town” as his dad sought work to support the family.

Duane graduated from East High School in Rockford, Illinois on June 9, 1943. That summer he signed up for service in the U.S. Navy. In the fall, he began classes at Northern Illinois Teachers College while waiting to be called up. The call came in January 1944. He was trained at Naval Submarine School, New London, Connecticut and served aboard the USS Pelias, in port at Mare Island, California until May 19, 1946.

Returning to Rockford, he worked as Director of the Summer Swimming Program at Camp Rotary until he registered for classes at Gustavus Adolphus College, St. Peter, Minnesota. There he met and married Millie, a fellow student and roommate of Duane’s sister, Joyce. Following their graduations, Duane and Millie moved to Denver, Colorado where Duane earned a master’s degree in Business Administration from University of Denver and began his first accounting job. Two and a half years later, Duane was hired by Shell Oil Co. They loaded up their household (which now includes daughter, Dawn) and moved to Midland, Texas for his first assignment. Millie and Duane welcomed their son, Brad, while living in Midland. The next year the family made the first of many moves as Duane took new assignments. Over his career, there were three assignments in New York & two in Los Angeles, as well as one in New Orleans, La. and another in Menlo Park, Ca. before he settled into the Houston office in 1972. He retired there in 1983.

In retirement Duane and Millie headed to Lakeway, TX where they built their dream home on a golf course fairway. That home, with its pool and open spaces, became a destination for family and friends on holidays as well as many visits in-between.

Duane is loved and remembered as Millie’s lifelong adventure partner and as a dad, grandpa and great-grandpa. We knew him as curious, adventurous, “numbers guy,” encourager, swimmer, sailor, road trip driver, golfer, water lover, model airplane builder, bridge player, driving teacher (on a highway or off a tee), commuter (planes, trains and automobiles), caramel corn technician, hole-in-one sinker, scout master, and golf game scheduler. He was swimming teacher and lifeguard for 3 generations and an all-around-fixer of toys and household things, especially if those things were headed for the garage sale.

Duane was delighted to be proud Grandpa “Ba” to 5 grandkids and amazed Great-grandpa “Ba” to 13 great-grand kids. He was happily committed to Millie and her positive attitude in life, to their family, to their church, to his work, to doing his best to engage in every stage of life, and to keeping up with all the “doings” of the whole family and their wide circle of friends. He spoke of being grateful for each and every one.

Duane’s life will be honored at a graveside service at Fort Sam Houston National Cemetery on January 7, 2026, at 11:15 a.m.

Following the service there will be an open house gathering at the home of Jim and Dawn Silvius.

Gifts in memory of Duane may be made: -by mail to Community Cycles, 421 Dolle Ave., Seguin, TX 78155 or online to <communitycyclesseguin.org> -by mail to Spirit of Joy Lutheran Church, 416 Dolle Ave., Seguin, TX 78155 or online to <spiritofjoylc.org> -online to Scouting America to <scouting.org>