Nels Lofgren

A Celebration of Life service and reception for Nels Lofgren, a 72-year-old Buffalo resident who passed away Friday at the Johnson County Health Care Center in Buffalo, will be held Sunday, May 31, at 2:00 p.m. at the Johnson County Fairgrounds. Reverend Anne Knighten will officiate with a story-telling reception to follow. Interment will take place in the Dayton Cemetery in Dayton, Wyoming, on Saturday, May 30, at 10:00 a.m. with the Buffalo American Legion in charge of military graveside services. Donations in Nels’ memory may be made to the Buffalo American Legion Post 13 and Buffalo VFW Post 2469. Online condolences may be made at https://www.harnessfuneralhome.com.

Nels Bly Lofgren was born on November 21, 1953, in Sheridan, Wyoming, to Gustav and Opal Lofgren. He grew up in Dayton, Wyoming, and graduated from Tongue River High School with the class of 1972. After high school, Nels enlisted in the United States Air Force in November of 1972. He achieved the rank of Sergeant while working in intelligence communications security. He received an honorable release from active duty in November of 1976. He married Michele Neu on June 25, 1977, and the couple moved to Laramie, Wyoming, where Nels earned a bachelor’s degree in Personnel Management in 1982. They later settled in Buffalo, where they made their home and raised their children. Their son, Ryan, was born in 1983, and their daughter, Lisa, followed in 1986. Nels started working for Farm Bureau Insurance in 1982 and eventually became a Petroleum Engineer with the Bureau of Land Management where he later served in a supervisory role until, he retired in December of 2018. Nels’ commitment to the community was vast. He started serving on the city council in 1989 and ran for Mayor in 1992. He was one of only two Buffalo mayors to serve two terms. His proudest accomplishment as Mayor was the completion of Tie Hack Dam and Reservoir and the water treatment plant. During his time as Mayor, he was a member of WAM, the Wyoming Association of Municipalities.