Paul Gregory “Greg” Akrop, beloved brother and uncle, 74, of Deadwood and Terry Peak, passed away Tuesday, December 4, 2023 at Monument Health in Rapid City following a brief illness.
Greg was born September 24, 1949 at St. Joseph’s Hospital in Deadwood, the third child of Paul John and Genevieve (Duchene) Akrop. He attended St. Ambrose Catholic School through eighth grade, and graduated from Deadwood High School in 1967. Due to the untimely death of his father in 1966, Greg opted to go to Black Hills State College to be able to be close to home and continue to operate the family business, Deadwood Granite and Marble Works. Following graduation from college, Greg was accepted into the South Dakota Highway Patrol and graduated from the Law Enforcement Academy in Pierre. He was assigned to Huron, but decided after a year that being near his home and helping run the family business with his brother, David, was a more pressing priority.
Skiing was Greg’s lifelong passion. He learned to ski at Terry Peak at the age of six, participated in racing and ski jumping through high school, and served as a Snow Ranger for the Forest Service at Terry Peak Ski Area during college. He served on the Board of Directors of Black Hills Chairlift Corporation and ultimately became the General Manager of the area in the 1980s. During his tenure as General Manager Terry Peak added a snowmaking system, opened several new ski runs, upgraded chairlift equipment and built a new chalet at the Stewart Slope base.
He retired as General Manager after the 1999-2000 ski season, but continued to live in the house he built near the ski area in 1979, and continued to ski at Terry Peak regularly.
Greg was a lifelong member of St. Ambrose Church. He was preceded in death by his parents, Paul and Genevieve Akrop. He is survived by his brother David Akrop, his sister Mary Ann (Bruce) Oberlander; nephew Michael (Angela) Oberlander and their twins Matthew and Sarah; nieces Lisa (Jason) Jorgenson and their children Genevieve, Andrew and Benjamin, and Julie (Jeremy) Gibbons and their children Luke and Jonathon. Having never married, Greg cherished his nieces and nephew and great-nieces and great-nephews as his own.
Visitation will be Sunday, December 10, from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. at St. Ambrose Catholic Church in Deadwood, with a Rosary at 6:00 p.m. Funeral services will be Monday, December 11, at 10:00 a.m. at St. Ambrose. Interment will be in the family plot in Rose Hill Cemetery in Spearfish following the service. A memorial has been established for Black Hills Regional Ski for Light.
