Roland Van Gerpen

Roland W. Van Gerpen^[1] was born on August 3, 1926, in Avon, South Dakota,^[2]: 1132 to William R. and Johanna (née DeRoos) Van Gerpen.^[3][4] His grandfather, Herman W. Van Gerpen,^[5] served in the South Dakota House of Representatives from 1922 to 1924. Roland's brother Harlan Van Gerpen served in the Iowa Legislature,^[4] and Roland's cousin Edward Van Gerpen served in the South Dakota Legislature.^[5] Roland graduated from Avon High School in 1944 and then began serving in the United States Air Force in 1945. After retiring the following year, he became a farmer.^[2]: 1132 Roland married Louise Dykstra^[6] on March 26, 1947, at the Avon Baptist Church;^[7] together, they had three children: Bill, Danny, and Lorney.^[2]: 1132

In 1965, Van Gerpen began serving on the Avon Independent School Board and the Bon Homme County School Board, retiring from the latter in 1968. He was selected as the chairman of the Avon Independent School Board in 1970 and served in the position and on the board until 1975.^[2]: 1132 In September 1967, Van Gerpen was elected as an assistant instructor for Bible classes at the First Baptist Sunday School in Avon.^[8] The following year, he was selected as a teacher.^[9] He was last elected to the position in 1970.^[10] He was a member of the South Dakota Republican Party Central Committee in 1977.^[2]: 1132 He served as chairman of Bon Homme County from 1978 to 1980.^[2]: 1132 In June 1980, Van Gerpen was appointed to the South Dakota–Nebraska Boundary Commission by Bill Janklow, the governor of South Dakota.^[11]

By April 1980, Van Gerpen had filed to run as a candidate in that year's election to the South Dakota House of Representatives, seeking to represent the 16th district for the Republican Party.^[12] In the Republican primary, held in June, Van Gerpen and Kenneth E. Kredit defeated Martin E. Drefs to become the Republican nominees.^[13] Van Gerpen went on to win the general election, alongside Democrat Albert Kocer. Official canvass results showed Van Gerpen defeating incumbent Ralph Nachtigal by 13 votes.^[14][15] Nachtigal successfully petitioned for a recount, but conceded the election after unofficial recount results widened the vote margin to 86.^[16] Van Gerpen was inaugurated, alongside the rest of the 56th South Dakota Legislature, on January 6, 1981.^[17][18] He was appointed to the local government committee.^[19] In January 1981, Van Gerpen, alongside eight other Republican representatives, reversed their vote on a bill that would have held statewide elections for the South Dakota agricultural commissioner. Their reversal caused the bill to die in the House.^[20] Van Gerpen was one of nine legislators to not sponsor any bills in the 1982 session of the legislature.^[21] Van Gerpen announced his re-election campaign in April 1982 for the 14th district after redistricting was held.^[22][23] He won the Republican primary and later the general election, both alongside Terry Miller.^[24][25]

On July 13, 1983, while serving his second term in the House, Van Gerpen died at a hospital in Sioux Falls after suffering a heart attack the previous night. His funeral was held at the First Baptist Church in Avon on July 16.^[26] On October 4, his wife Louise was appointed as his successor by Governor Janklow.^[27]