Paul Dino Rodolph finally found his gold! On June 12, 2024, he went to be with Jesus, where the streets are paved in the stuff. He was rich beyond measure.

Paul was born on June 24, 1959, in Casper, Wyoming, to James Platton Rodolph and Judith Kay (Rogers) Johnson. Though he was born in and loved Wyoming, his family made their way to the Black Minin’ Hills of Dakota. This became home and in 1968, Paul’s true dad, Richard Johnson, took a seat at the head of the family table. Richard and Judy wed at Dean and Jill Hamm’s place. The Hamms were instrumental in Paul and his siblings’ upbringing.

Growing up in Rapid City, he attended Douglas High School and met his life-long tribe, the “Valley Rats”. Together Paul, David Stuller, the Murphy Clan, the Cookie Monster, Jimmer, Arthur K., Randy Horn, the Vesely and the Jones brothers all lived and loved, raising families and a little cain along the way. If Paul bestowed upon you a nickname, you knew you were on his list of favorite people.

At age 14, Paul was enrolled in St. Martin’s as part of the first cohort of boys at an all-girls Catholic boarding school. There he met the love of his life, Patricia Ann Hayes in 1974. Man, were they pretty! They were wed June 17, 1978, in Birney, Montana, where Paul worked on the ranch. He worked the fields and with the horses, his favorite beast to conquer. They worked hard at it and had a good run there.

Work is what Paul did. He instilled, among countless other things, an incredible sense of work ethics in their four beautiful children, Jessica Ann Arehart, Abigail Patricia Matthews, Elijah Paul Rodolph and Ezekiel David Rodolph. Paul drove over a million miles in numerous Peterbuilt trucks, built million-dollar mansions. He also built a church in Chile, learning a great deal with the McCaskill and the Vickerman crews. He learned the master trade of floor care in the heat of Texas; a trade he passed onto his entire family, ensuring there’d be food on their tables.

Despite where his adventures took him, Paul was always a motorhead. His need for speed and adrenaline was first realized in his Baby Blue ’67 Mustang, with Murph riding passenger and hopping out to act as reverse when needed. He built an immaculate charcoal gray ’51 Ford, but his heart belonged to his ’66 Mustang which was various shades of red over the years. If he wasn’t behind the wheel, he loved the feeling of flying off the back side of Harney Peak. This was close second in the race for that adrenaline buzz.

A lover of the land, and always on the move, Paul conquered most of the roads across the nation. He also dreamed of conquering the sea. He tried his hand at sailing once accompanied by his then First Mate, Lori Christian Sherwood. Life was always a wild ride with Paul, but he was a great driver. Only the grandkids could get him to rein it in… just a little bit.

He made the best music along his journey, one of his many talents that provides cherished memories for all who have spent time with him. Paul lives on in the million-dollar smiles of his loved ones; the million-dollar smiles that match his own! Those smiles include that of his high school sweetheart and mother of his children, Patricia Hayes Rodolph. His children: Abby Matthews (Ken Sharp), Jesse Arehart (Chad Wagner), Elijah (Sarah) Rodolph and Ezekiel Rodolph (Alecia) all of Rapid City, SD. Being Grandpa was his most prized accomplishment: Rhiannon and James Arehart; David and Jackson Rodolph; Jaiven Vetter, Rylan Hermanson, Aris and Eliam Rodolph. (Cowboy cookies? Come on down!) He loved to sneak the grand dogs treats too, even though he wasn’t supposed to, he just couldn’t help the special bond he had with the animal kingdom.

He is survived by siblings: Peter Rodolph (Vickie) or Casper, WY, Katina Dekay (Bryan) or St. Hedwig, TX, and Cheryl Bieler (Fred) or Phoenixville, PA. His aunts: Mary Atwill (Charles) of Cheyenne, WY and Nancy Hudson (Wayne) of Brownwood, TX. He is survived also by his nieces, nephews and their children whom he loved like his own.

Paul is preceded in death by his mother and father, Judith and Richard Johnson, his birth father James Rodolph, his little brother Lance Johnson, his Uncle Wayne Hudson, Uncle Harold Rogers and Uncle Jim Rogers, as well as his son-in-law Lance Matthews.

Paul Dino Rodolph will be greatly missed here on Earth, but we will hear him sing again on the other side!

Arrangements are pending with Behrens-Wilson Funeral Home.