George W. Stroppel

George W. Stroppel, age 95, of Midland, South Dakota, died on Tuesday, March 29, 2022 at the Scotchman Living Center in Philip.

George Windfield Stroppel was born on April 11, 1926, on the family ranch near Powell, SD, the son of John and Violet (Miller) Stroppel. He attended his first seven years of school in Powell and then moved to Midland to go to high school.

George joined the Navy on September 4, 1943. He went through boot camp and gunners school in Farragut, Idaho. He was then sent to Hawthorne, Nevada to an ammunition depot for eight months. After that he was shipped to the Pacific to serve on the battleship USS New Jersey. George was discharged from the Navy on June 12, 1946.

George returned to Midland and went to work at various jobs. He worked as a blacksmith, an independent painter, at the elevator for Farmer’s Union, he opened a café and then finally as a construction worker.

George was united in marriage to Alice Jean Finck at the St. Elizabeth Catholic Church in Midland on July 17, 1954. They were blessed with six children, two girls and four boys. George worked on the Oahe Dam and they lived in Pierre. George started his own dirt work business and lived on the Stroppel Ranch near Powell for a few years. He built many dams around the Philip and Midland area. In 1963 they relocated and lived in Philip for a few more years before moving to Midland in 1966, to help George's mother, Violet, take care of the family business, the Stroppel Hotel. They ended up buying the hotel in 1973.

In 1998, George and Alice sold the hotel to their daughter Patricia and her husband Reuben and semi-retired to the home next door to the hotel.

George was a member of the American Legion Post #143 in Midland, the Senior Citizens of Midland, the Disable DAV of Ft. Pierre, the Midland Volunteer Fire Department, and the St. Williams Catholic Church. One of the highlights of George's life was in September of 2017, when Patsy, Patricia and Bridget took George to New Jersey and went through George's battleship, the USS New Jersey.

Survivors include four sons: Vernon Stroppel of Harbor City, California, James Stroppel (Kim) of Box Elder, Lawrence Stroppel (Marlene) of Midland, and Mike Stroppel of Midland; two daughters, Patricia Vollmer (Reuben) of Midland, and Patsy Fosheim (Rodney) of Kingman, Oklahoma; many grandchildren and great-grandchildren; and a host of other relatives and friends.

George was preceded in death by his wife, Alice, on July 10, 2014; his parents; a daughter-in-law Sharon Stroppel; two brothers, Galo and John “Jack” Stroppel; and two sisters, Mary Williams and Helen Schofield.

Visitation will be held from 5-7 p.m. with a prayer service starting at 7 p.m. Monday, April 4, 2022 at St. William's Catholic Church in Midland.

Mass of Christian Burial will be held 10:00 a.m. Tuesday, April 5, 2022 at St. William's Catholic Church in Midland with Father Gary Oreshoski as celebrant.

Interment with military honors will be held at 2:30 p.m. Tuesday, April 5, 2022 at Black Hills National Cemetery near Sturgis.

Arrangements are with Rush Funeral Home of Philip.