Verlin Lea Guisinger, 72, of Rapid City passed peacefully at his home on the morning of October 8, 2018. As the first giant flakes of the coming winter, began to fall. He decided, it was time. Almost as if he was waiting for the snow. He always loved the Black Hills winters. I think, more for the hunting, than the snow, but he loved them just the same.

Verlin was born in Winner, SD on April 5, 1946, to Paul and Irene (Thomsen) Guisinger. They lived in Witten, SD until 1952. At the age of six they moved to Custer, SD. It was there that he grew up hunting and fishing in the Black Hills, which became a lifelong passion of his. Hunting after school was a common pastime for him and his friends. One of his proudest days was when his oldest grandson, Kane, got his first big buck. Verlin was the oldest of three siblings, Allan, his younger brother and Marilyn, the youngest. Their dad Paul, ran a service station in Custer, so he started helping out there at an early age. No wonder he was so good at keeping all his kids and grandkids cars in good working order.

He graduated from Custer High School in the class of 1964. Like many young men of that time, he loved cars. He had some great ones, in his day. After he finished college, he met Darla Wollman and they were married in 1969. They shared a love of skiing and the outdoors, which they passed on to their three boys, Tyler, Sam and Levi. Winter weekends were almost always spent at Terry Peak. They loved going on camping trips to the Big Horns, Yellowstone and many places in the beautiful Black Hills. We were truly blessed to have our parents and their group of friends, growing up.

In 1997, he became a grandpa. A full time job that he really cherished. Being a grandpa suited him very well. He loved to take the grandkids wherever they wanted to go. He was happy, making sure that they were happy. From sporting events (where he often kept score in the dust, on the dash), to Jumpcraze, to the mall, he stayed busy with his Excursion full of the grandkids and their friends. I know there were plenty of fun rides home from school. He never complained about having to run a friend all the way across town. He loved to do it, simply for the extra time he got to spend with the kids. Weekends that weren't filled with sports were usually spent fishing at one of his favorite spots.

His warm smile and the genuine kindness he brought to all, will be forever missed.

He is survived by his three sons, Tyler, Sam and Levi; and four grandchildren, Kane, Falon, Noah and Lily.