Ralph Lloyd Greslin, 78, of Piedmont, SD, passed away on December 7, 2021, in Rapid City, SD. Ralph was born on April 4, 1943, in Deadwood, SD to Fred and Diana (Faye) Greslin.  He was the second of six children with two brothers and three sisters.  He attended grade school at St. Patrick's in Lead through sixth grade, moving then to Deadwood High School from grades 7-12.  He graduated from Deadwood High School in 1961.

Growing up in the Maitland area, Ralph loved spending time with his siblings exploring the abandoned mine sites and gaining a love for being outdoors, a passion he held throughout the rest of his life.  During his high school years, he spent much of his time as an attendant at his father's service stations in Lead and Central City, a time that ignited a lifelong love of automobiles, mechanics, and machinery of any kind.  After high school, he got a job with the US Forest Service.  One experience he was particularly proud of was working as part of the Missoula Smoke Jumpers in Montana as a parachuting firefighter to wildland fires in the Northwest.  When he returned to Deadwood, he worked in logging operations in the Black Hills National Forest and joined the South Dakota National Guard in 1965 where he served for six years.

Ralph married Carleen Kittelman on August 11, 1967, after which the couple moved to Watertown where he attended Lake Area Vocational School in 1968 to study architectural drafting. This led him into a career in construction, beginning with a position as a draftsman for Knecht Lumber Company in Rapid City and then on to start his own construction business in 1973.  He remained in the field as a general contractor until his retirement in 2012.  His career enabled him to build many great relationships with both clients and employees.  At heart, Ralph was a builder in all aspects of his life.  Whether it be a building, a classic car, an employee or one of the many foster children he and Carleen took into their home, he left everything he touched a little better than it was before.

Ralph was a devoted husband and father.  For his children, he modeled depth of character and strong personal conviction based on godly values and principles.  Always a fan of getting outside, he enjoyed hobbies that included others whether that be hunting, snowmobiling, fishing, and in recent years, adventures on the side-by-side.  Camping was a favorite activity for Ralph and Carleen, and he was always open for a game of cards with friends and family.  Ralph and Carleen invested deeply in the lives of those around them.  You always felt like you were important to Ralph, and he would take the time to stop and chat about whatever topic, it didn't seem to matter.  The opportunity to spend time with his grandkids was always his highest priority; they were his greatest treasure.  He was given the name "Bapa" by his grandson, Cody, and held that distinctive title for nearly 25 years.  He was actively involved in his local church and was very outspoken about his faith in Jesus Christ, the one who made all the difference in his life.

Ralph is survived by his wife of 54 years, Carleen Greslin of Piedmont, SD; son, Eric (Erika) of Deerwood, MN; daughter, Connie (Jeremy) Anderson of Sturgis, SD; son, Lonnie (Cecilia) of Vicenza, Italy; son, Michael (Jenny) of Spearfish, SD; brother, Ken (Della) of Broadus, Montana; sister, Julie (Bill) Wilson of Sturgis, SD; brother, Don (Judy) of Sturgis, SD; sister, Rita of Sturgis, SD; sister, Tina (Keith) Lavender of Sturgis, SD; twelve grandchildren and two great grandchildren as well as several nieces, nephews, and cousins.  Ralph was preceded in death by his parents, Fred and Diana Greslin.

A Celebration of Life in memory of Ralph will be held on January 8, 2022, at 1:00 pm at LifeSpring Wesleyan Church (2105 W Lazelle St, Sturgis, SD 57785).  A light lunch reception will follow.  In lieu of flowers, the family requests any donations made in Ralph's honor go towards continued work at LifeSpring Wesleyan Church of Sturgis or to furthering values-based education at Prism North America where two of his grandkids attend school.

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