Darwin Gene Shoop, 77, Rapid City, passed away Tuesday, May 12, 2009, at the Fort Meade Veterans Hospital in Sturgis. Darwin, friends called him Gene, was born in Belle Fourche to George and Ada (Olson) Shoop on March 13, 1932. Gene spent twenty-five years of his life in Belle Fourche. He was drafted into the US Army and served in the Korean War from 1952-1954. He came home with an honorable discharge to the love of his life, Evelyn Walter. They were married in Spearfish on Nov. 28, 1954, and spent fifty-two wonderful years together. Gene took his family in 1957 and moved to Rapid City, where he went to auto body trade school. He worked for several body shops through the years in Rapid. In 1983 he opened his own body shop, S & S Paint + Bump Shop, in Box Elder. He had the shop until he retired in 2002. Gene devoted a lot of time and love with his wife and children. He enjoyed car racing, camping, motorcycles and flying remote control airplanes. He became a life-member of Rapid City Aces. In his last few years, he found himself again enjoying dancing at Minneluzahan Senior Center and Elk Creek Steak House, where he met a lot of wonderful people. Gene is survived by his three daughters, Debbie Sherman and her husband Roger, Piedmont, Darlene Parks and her husband Kevin, Canyon Lake, TX and Nancy Shoop, Rapid City; his daughter-in-law, Jackie Shoop, Rapid City; a brother, George Shoop, Belle Fourche; eight grandchildren, Leigh Sherman, Quinton Sherman, Shelly Sherman, Christopher Coots, Sandra Spain, Blane Coots, Riley Shoop and Jamie Shoop; 4 great-grandchildren, Korbyn Coots, Taylor Coots, Lillyanne Coots and Kylee Sherman and a sister-in-law, Ruth Shoop, Belle Fourche; He met many loved ones at the gates of Heaven and is rejoicing with them; his wife, Evelyn Shoop, his son Darwin Shoop, two brothers, Dallas Shoop and Ernie Shoop and his father and mother, George and Ada Shoop. Visitation will be from 5:00 p.m. until 7:00 p.m. on Thursday, May 14, at Osheim & Schmidt Funeral Home. Services will be at 1:00 p.m. on Friday, May 15, at Osheim & Schmidt Funeral Home with Rev. Lloyd Edwards officiating. Interment, with military honors provided by Ellsworth Air Force Base and Rushmore VFW Post 1273 Honor Guards, will follow in Black Hills National Cemetery. A luncheon will follow the burial at 3:30 at Minneluzahan Senior Citizens Center, 315 N. 4th St.