Elmer Clark Flanary, 81, Excelsior Springs, Mo., formerly of Harrisonville, MO died December 14, 2013 at Liberty Hospital, Liberty, Missouri. Funeral services will be held at 2:00 p.m. Wednesday, December 18, 2013 at the Atkinson Funeral Home in Harrisonville, Mo. with burial in Pleasant Ridge Cemetery, Harrisonville. Visitation 6:00-8:00 p.m. Tuesday, December 17 at the Atkinson Funeral Home in Harrisonville.

Elmer was born two miles west of Harrisonville on June 8, 1932. He was the eldest son of Elbert Carr and Amanda Marie (Jones) Flanary. Elmer was raised on a farm in rural Cass County, MO and at the age of seven, started going to work with his father on a thrashing crew. By the age of nine he was running the machinery. His pride and joy as a boy was his team of goats. He made the goats a harness and taught them to pull. As he grew he also helped his father with the farming and the saw mill. He came to know the lord at the age of fourteen and was baptized in the Grand River, not far from the Grand River Baptist Church. He attended Harrisonville High School. After high school he bought a stock truck and started a trucking business. His best known truck was the one that read, "Shake, Rattle, and Roll".

He was united in marriage to Wilma Gail Roberts on July 28, 1951 at the First Baptist Church in Harrisonville, Rev. George C. Monroe, officiating. Elmer served in the Army from November 7, 1952 until November 6, 1954 and after his discharge he started farming and working pipeline construction. He tore out fences to make room for the new Western Electric Facility , and also sowed grass. He also had worked for Water District #4 and for the Cass County Road and Bridge Dept. He was best remembered for his outgoing personality, his sense of humor, and his story telling.

After retirement, he started a pulling track for garden tractors. Elmer and Wilma moved to Excelsior Springs in 2004. His greatest joy was raising their four girls.

Elmer was preceded in death by his parents, two sisters, Dolly Pulliam and Hazel Middaugh, two brothers, Pete Flanary and Jack Flanary, and a grandchild, Gabrielle Ketchum.
Elmer is survived by his wife, Wilma Flanary, of the home, four daughters, Connie Ketchum, and companion, Dave Bush, Freeman, MO; Cathy Jo Ginnings and husband, Dale, Excelsior Springs, MO; Carrie Wilson, Freeman, MO: Carli Flanary and companion, Chris Butler, Freeman. An extended daughter, Susan Figg, Garden City, MO, eleven grandchildren and four great-grandchildren. Three sisters, Elberta Gardener, Shirley Henry, Lois Knibb, and a brother, Lyle "Bud" Flanary, all of Harrisonville. Many other relatives and friends.