Ty Quinton Stilwell was born September 30, 1996, at Rapid City, SD, to Nik and Paula (Merchen) Stilwell. Our Lord welcomed our husband, son, brother, grandson, great-grandson, nephew, cousin, and friend into his arms to continue his journey into eternity on May 14, 2021. This impressive young man warmed our hearts and world with his kind, gentle nature, soft contagious laughter, and caring touch of understanding. Sharing a passion for the arts expressed through poems, stories, music, painting, and drawings, he embraced his Native American Heritage and life with an adventurous spirit for twenty-four years.

With guidance from his dad, he quickly learned to master dirt bike riding at an early age, barely able to contain his excitement when excursions were planned to spend the day riding at Farmingdale. Ty was Mom's right-hand man when Dad was gone driving truck, leader of the pack to his two brothers, and the best help you could ask for when Grandpa Lawrence needed a mechanic's helper or Grandpa Larry called for a ranch hand or fishing partner, and of course "the apple of Grandma's eye".

Ty attended grade school in the Douglas Schools, and junior high and high school years in the Rapid City School District. Immediately after graduating from Rapid City High School with the Class of 2015, Ty found an old farmhouse to fix up and make his own. He was able to support himself through his talent for writing and painting, working odd jobs when needed to stay independent and stand on his own. Many hours were spent researching family ancestry when time allowed a break from his love of working on old cars in his garage. It was always a fun game of guessing what model of car he would be driving next.

Ty and Paiglyn met in 2016, and quickly became best friends. They were married January 8, 2019.  Sharing in his love of adventure and history, they were beckoned down many dusty, deserted roads, exploring for unexpected, abandoned log homes of many years ago, mystified with the wonder of secrets guarded within their walls.

Ty is survived by his wife, Paiglyn (Cranmore) Stilwell; parents, Nik and Paula Stilwell; brothers, Garrett Stilwell and Trevor Provencial; maternal grandfather, Lawrence Merchen; paternal grandparents, Larry and Becky Stilwell; as well as numerous aunts, uncles, and cousins.

He is preceded in death by a sister, Alisha Jones; maternal grandmother, Charlotte Merchen; maternal great-grandparents, Vivian and Edgar Standing Bear and Margaret and James Merchen; and paternal great-grandparents, Harold and Marion Stilwell and Jack and Ellen Lozier.

Wake service will be 5-10 p.m. on Friday, May 21, 2021, at First Presbyterian Church in Rapid City, SD.

Funeral Services will be 10:00 a.m. on Saturday, May 22, 2021, First Presbyterian Church in Rapid City, SD. Interment to follow at Whitewood Cemetery.

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