Rapid City – Larry A. Weitzenkamp Ph.D./M.D., 85, of Rapid City, South Dakota passed away May 15, 2026, at West Hills Village in Rapid City.

Larry was born October 28, 1940 in Craig, Nebraska on a farm to Alvin and Lily Weitzenkamp but grew up in West Point, Nebraska. In high school he was involved in FFA and played the piccolo. After graduating from high school, he went on to University of Nebraska, where he majored in electrical engineering. After undergraduate and graduate work there he received a Ph.D. He served as assistant professor of electrical engineering at South Dakota School of Mines and Technology for five years.

On April 10, 1966, he was united in marriage to Carol Towne. To this union, three children were born: David, Mark, and Janet. In 1973, he attended medical school at University of South Dakota under an Air Force scholarship, and was a member of the first four-year class to graduate from the school in 1977.

Larry took his family practice residency training for three years at Carswell Air Base in Texas, after which he spent four more years in the Air Force as a flight surgeon and family physician. During that time he had the opportunity to live in Germany for three years as a flight surgeon for an F15 Squadron, and spent his last year of active duty at Ellsworth Air Force Base. Larry and Carol separated in 1991.

Larry began private practice in Rapid City. He moved to Martin, South Dakota, seven years later in April 1991. Audrey White joined his life in October 1993 and they moved back to Rapid City in 2000. He spent five years working at Maniilaq Health Center in Kotzebue, Alaska before returning to Rapid City in 2009 and retiring in 2011.

Larry and Audrey enjoyed traveling around the country and off the beaten path on road trips. They often visited family in Rapid City, Denver, Colorado, and Seattle, Washington, and every corner of the country including the Redwood National Park in California, Everglades National Park in Florida, and more.

Another particular interest of Larry was in Earth Watch research projects. He joined a group for three weeks of research on a volcano in far east Russia, two weeks of research on glaciers in the Himalayas, as well as others in Norway, India, and more. Together, Larry and Audrey have taken several road scholar trips.

Larry was known by loved ones as quiet, always thinking, kind, and always preparing for the opportune moment to joke. He enjoyed watching NASCAR, the Nebraska Huskers, and hockey, taking skiing trips, and recounting stories of his many life experiences. Around friends in West Hills Village, he was also known as a puzzlemaster and often helped others. To Audrey, Larry was known as a gentle, thoughtful partner, eager to go on new adventures. Each night, they fell asleep holding hands.

He is survived by his life partner of 33 years, Audrey White; brother Roger (Diane) Weitzenkamp, sisters Dorothy (Frank) Bay and Leta Searcy; sons David and Mark Weitzenkamp, daughter Janet (David) Grundstrom; grandsons Michael (Shaina) Grundstrom and Dylan (Bellamy) Grundstrom; great grandson Theodore Grundstrom; along with numerous cousins.

In lieu of flowers memorial donations may be given to the University of South Dakota School of Medicine.

His Celebration of Life Visitation will be from 4:00 to 6:00 pm Wednesday, May 27 at Osheim & Schmidt Funeral Home. There will be a Private-Family Only Burial Service at a future date.