Daniel "Dan" J. Augustyn

Daniel (Dan) John Augustyn, 49, of Rio Rancho, New Mexico, passed away unexpectedly on Sept. 12, 2026, at home. Born in Temple, Texas, on Dec. 14, 1976, Dan was the beloved firstborn son of Charles and Marilyn Augustyn. He met the love of his life, Lindsay (Grieser), in 2004, and they married on June 24, 2006, in Lincoln, Nebraska. They were overjoyed to welcome their sons, Grant and William (Will), into the world in 2008 and 2012.

Dan grew up in Kearney and Lincoln, graduating from Lincoln Pius X in 1995. He was a National Merit Scholar and earned a Regents Scholarship to the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. In four years, as an Honors Program student, Dan earned a bachelor’s degree in philosophy, political science and mathematics and also studied abroad at Oxford in the Centre for Medieval and Renaissance Studies. The friendships Dan formed at UNL remained some of the most important and enduring friendships of his life.

After a year of graduate school in mathematics at UNL, he went to law school and received his Juris Doctor from the University of Minnesota Law School in Minneapolis in 2003. While in law school, he started a business called Register My Copyright as part of the Business Law and Entrepreneurship Clinic. He continued to successfully lead this copyright and trademark business for several years, while briefly working at the Nebraska Legislature, and opening Augustyn Law Office in 2005.

In 2008, Dan joined DeCamp Legal Services in Lincoln and met James Parks, Sr., who mentored him in the practice of personal injury law. Upon DeCamp’s retirement, Dan hired James as his paralegal and considered him as his business partner. The two of them spent nearly two decades building the Augustyn Law Office practice, culminating with hiring three more paralegals and opening two office locations in New Mexico (Santa Fe in 2024 and Rio Rancho in 2026). In 2016, Dan passed the NFL Players Association agent exam and was Nebraska’s only certified NFL Agent for three years. Dan was known for his dedication to his clients, his sharp mind, and his strong sense of fairness, especially on a soccer field. He was a fierce advocate for his friends and his clients, particularly those he felt needed someone willing to stand up and fight for them.

Dan was a devoted husband for 20 spectacular years and a loving father. His family was the center of his life, and he treasured the time they spent together. Sports touched all aspects of their daily lives, from attending the boys’ soccer, football, and basketball games with immense pride; coaching them; traveling; watching sports; and cheering on Husker athletics. The family moved to New Mexico in 2024 to fulfill Dan’s lifelong dream of living in the Southwest, in the land of spicy food and breakfast burritos.

Those who knew Dan will remember his quick wit, absurdly impressive range of knowledge, and joy of hosting and cooking for his family and friends. He enjoyed playing bridge and while in Lincoln was a member of the Lincoln Bridge Club. But what he enjoyed most was simply being with the people and pets he loved including the family’s cats, Tommy and Puma, and Husky dogs, Jasmine and Balto.

Dan is survived by his wife, Lindsay; his children, Grant and Will; his parents, Charles and Marilyn; his siblings, Renee Cushman (Jesse) and Joseph Augustyn (Sara); and his close-knit family of aunts, uncles, nieces, nephews, and cousins. He also leaves behind countless friends, colleagues, clients, and members of the community who were fortunate to know him.

In lieu of flowers, the family asks that memorial contributions be given in care of his wife for his children’s education fund.

A Memorial Celebration will be held at Lincoln Memorial Funeral Home, 6800 South 14th Street, Lincoln, Nebraska, on September 30, 2026, at 10:00 am.