RAPID CITY | Dr. Paul F. Dzintars, 91, died Wednesday, March 27, 2013, at Westhills Village Health Care Facility. He was born in Madona, Latvia, May 29, 1921. He grew up in the independent nation of Latvia, enjoying reading, skiing and volleyball during his school years. He started medical school in Riga, Latvia, but WWII interrupted his studies. During WWII he met his future wife Ariadne "Rida" Orleans and they were married on Christmas Eve, 1944, in West Prussia. After the war they were sent to a DP (displaced persons) camp in Germany where their first son was born. While in Germany, Paul completed his medical studies at the Muenster University School of Medicine in 1948. As a foreigner, he could not practice in Germany, so in 1951 he moved his family to the United States. Paul worked at a TB sanatorium in Fairfield, Maine. While in Maine their second son was born. Foreign medical graduates could not practice medicine in Maine so the family moved to South Dakota where he completed an internship at Sioux Valley Hospital in Sioux Falls in 1955. The family then moved to Philip where he joined his longtime friend George Mangulis. Their third son was born at this time. A year and a half later he moved his practice north to Faith where their fourth son was born. The Black Hills were calling, so in 1961 he moved his family for the last time to Rapid City. He was one of the original founders of The Medical Arts Clinic, and practiced there for the next 30 years, retiring in 1991. He enjoyed water and snow skiing, hunting, fishing, and of course making his homemade wine. Paul was an avid reader and WWII history buff. He had a profound love of his homeland, and loved singing Latvian folk songs with his fraternity brothers. He supported several fellow Latvians in following their dreams both here and in Latvia. He was always ready to tell a joke or a story. He was a member of the Rapid City Noon Cosmopolitan club, Calvary Lutheran Church, Black Hills Enological Society, SD 9th District Medical Society, AMA, American Academy of Family Practice and SD Academy of Family Practice. June 1, 1991 was proclaimed "Dr. Paul Dzintars" day by Governor George Mickelson. His sister Daina preceded him in death. He is survived by his wife of 68 years, Rida; 4 sons, Valdis (Linda), Gunar (Susan), Egon (Rita), Viktor (Lesley); 11 grandchildren and 3 great grandchildren. A Celebration of Life Ceremony will be held at Calvary Lutheran Church, Saturday, April 6, at 1:00 PM. We will celebrate his unbelievable journey after the ceremony in the Church Fellowship Hall. In lieu of flowers the family asks that donations be considered to the Rapid City Noon Cosmopolitan Club, Benefiting Diabetes Research and numerous youth organizations in the area.