Funeral services for Dr. Alan Bruflat, 69, of Wayne will be at 10:30 a.m. Saturday, Aug. 15 at Our Savior Lutheran Church in Wayne. Visitation will be from 5 to 7 p.m. Friday, Aug. 14 at Our Savior Lutheran Church in Wayne. Burial will be in Greenwood Cemetery in Wayne.
He died Monday, Aug. 10, 2026 at Providence Medical Center in Wayne.
Memorials may be directed to the family for later designation.
Dr. Alan Scott Bruflat was born May 23, 1957, in Bismarck, ND to Merle Leroy and Phyllis Elaine (Ramynke) Bruflat. He passed away peacefully with his wife, Madge, by his side Monday evening, Aug. 10 at Providence Medical Center in Wayne.
During his childhood his family moved several times because of his father’s work as a National Bank Examiner. He lived in Minnesota, Wisconsin, Oklahoma, and California, before settling in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. There Alan graduated from Sioux Falls Lincoln High School in 1975. He then continued his education at Augustana College and attained a BA degree in Spanish in 1979.
On Aug. 9, 1980 Alan married Madge Jongeling in Valley Springs, South Dakota. They met while working at Bethany Nursing Home in Sioux Falls. The couple first lived in Iowa City where Alan obtained his MA in Spanish in 1981. In the fall of 1982, he began his doctoral studies at the University of Kansas in Lawerence and earned his PhD in Spanish in 1986. Dr Bruflat taught full time as a college professor at Monmouth College in Illinois from (1986-1988), University of Kentucky in Louisville (1988-1990) and then at Wayne State College in Nebraska (1990-2025).
Highlights and fond memories at WSC included Modern Language Day (an annual event), Foreign Language Honor Societies and Foreign Language Film Series, and taking students to Costa Rica in 2015, (where he went ziplining). It was most gratifying for him to have developed Spanish programs for Criminal Justice and Health Professionals. After 35 years, Dr Bruflat retired from WSC in May 2025. The previous year, he received the State Nebraska Excellence in Teaching Award.
Alan was an active member of Our Savior Lutheran Church. Because of his love for singing and playing the guitar, he participated in a mixed quartet, Keep The Faith with Jim Lindau, Sherie Lundahl, wife, Madge, and accompanist Brenda Nissen. Alan, Jim and Brenda then continued playing/ singing as the Front Porch Pickers. Alan performed with several other people over the years as well as enjoying solo work for many church and community events. In addition, Alan had many memorable moments performing with the Wayne Community theatre. Alan enjoyed reading, working crossword puzzles, airplanes, talking sports and cars, telling bad “Dad” jokes, and going to Bluegrass Festivals with Madge in Colby, KS and Strawberry Point, Iowa.
Survivors include his wife of 46 years, Madge; daughter, Emily Bruflat and husband, Nathan Koster; son, Ben Bruflat; brothers and spouses, Mark (Rhonda), Paul (Julie) and John (Allison); uncles, Richard (Donna) Bruflat and Vinton (Leah) Bruflat; along with a host of family and friends.
Preceding Alan in death were his parents and one nephew, T.J. Bruflat.
