Roger Arpan

Roger Arpan, age 63 of Spearfish and Alzada MT, died Friday, July 3, 2020 at the Sanford USD Medical Center in Sioux Falls.

Services will be held 10:30 a.m. on Friday, July 10, 2020 at Leverington Funeral Home of the Northern Hills in Belle Fourche. Visitation will take place at the funeral home from 5 to 7 p.m. on Thursday, with a 6 p.m. family service for the public. Interment will take place in Pine Slope Cemetery.

The service will be live-streamed on the obituary page on the funeral home's website. Friends may leave written condolences and view a video tribute there as well at: http://www.funeralhomeofthenorthernhills.com.

Roger Lawrence Arpan was born September 10, 1956 in Belle Fourche. He was the son of Robert Duane and Karen Gay (Hedges) Arpan. Roger grew up on the family ranch near Alzada Montana, where he attended school through the 8th grade. In 1975 he graduated from Carter County High School in Ekalaka. Roger graduated from the Vo – Tech school in Helena where he studied computers. Following his graduation, he moved to Phoenix, Arizona where he worked for Triple A.

In 1980 he came home to Alzada, where he worked for the highway department, as well as the Gene Walker farm and ranch and his parent's ranch. For the past several years he has lived in Spearfish.

When Roger was born, he came into the world two months early, weighing 4 pounds, 10 ounces. He was born with Cerebral Palsy and he wasn't given much hope to live a very long life. But God had different plans for Roger. Roger was born with a stubborn will that helped him overcome many obstacles in life, and God gave him purpose in life. He was an overcomer and no matter what the obstacle, Roger had determination to face it head on. He was an example of what it meant to have courage and he taught many people in life that no matter the circumstance, with courage and fight anyone can overcome an obstacle. Roger had a great personality and sense of humor. To know him was to love him, and he knew a lot of people. He will be greatly missed by his family and friends.

Roger is survived by his parents, Robert and Gay Arpan of Alzada; brother, Randy (Terry) Arpan of Alzada; aunts, Barbara (Dave) Brence of Ekalaka, Tam Lyn Hedges of Aladdin, Wyoming; nieces and nephews; and his long-time friend, Lucy Estrada of Spearfish. He was preceded in death by his infant sister, Karen Lea; uncle, Chip Hedges; and grandparents, Lawrence and Ellen Arpan and Max and Zelzo Hedges.