RAPID CITY - Peter Alvin Van Bockel, 90, passed away on Sunday, January 7, 2024 at Monument Health - Rapid City Hospital.  No services are planned at this time.

Beloved father, grandfather, brother, uncle and friend Peter Alvin Van Bockel passed away on January 7, 2024 at Monument Health, Rapid City, South Dakota, of natural causes.

The 7th son of John and Mary Van Bockel, Peter was born on January 16, 1933, in Woodstock, Minnesota.  He is survived by his children - son Jay, twin daughters Traci and Margo Van Bockel and granddaughter Jayda Herzman.  He is also survived by brothers and "Last of the Mohicans" John and Bernard Van Bockel.  He is preceded in death by sisters Josephine Michael and Helen Langslet as well as brothers Jake, Henry, Arie and Francis Van Bockel.

Aside from his undying love for his family, Peter's greatest joy and passion was pheasant hunting with this brothers and, later, extended family. Through the years many were delighted with tales from scores of hunting adventures and, in particular, which among the Van Bockel boys was the best shot.  While the consensus was that Peter took the coveted crown - possibly due to his deep rooted disdain of "wasting shells" - Francis and John were also consistently lauded for their skills.   Peter also enjoyed fishing with the King of the sport himself, brother Bernard.

Growing up on several small farms in both Minnesota and South Dakota, Peter earned legendary local status as a standout prep basketball star who featured a smooth and accurate long range shot that he retained for many years.  Peter also excelled on the football field and in the boxing ring.

After high school Peter joined the service as a Paratrooper in the 82nd Airborne at Fort Bragg (North Carolina).  Peter loved telling all that "the first time I was up in an airplane I had to jump out of it".  Despite discovering a fear of heights on that first jump Pete, in true fashion, elected to remain in the Paratroopers as it meant the ability to send more money home to his parents every month.

After cheating death more then once as a child - including surviving passing through a gravel sifter and being struck by a moving vehicle - Peter demonstrated his uncanny instinct for survival a third time when his parachute failed to open on his 33nd and final jump.  Though the resulting knee damage ended his very real hope of a promising college basketball career,  he again lived.

Following his term of duty Peter earned a Master's Degree in Education at the University of Minnesota.  After almost two decades as an educator and coach Peter went on to help build a fledgling insurance company that we know today as AFLAC.

Peter's favorite piece of advice to his children was "Treat others as you would like them to treat you".  Using said policy and his interminable honesty, Peter once sold seven individual insurance policies in a single farm house before his colleagues had completed their breakfast meeting. As the #1 top direct salesman in the company for two straight years, Peter was awarded a pair of brand new cars and offered the District Manager position of any region in the United States.  Thanks to the experience of many family camping trips traversing the length of both the USA and Canada, Peter and his erstwhile wife Diane decided on Colorado and moved the tribe to Loveland in the Summer of 1978.  There Peter continued his highly successful run, remaining instrumental in building the massive corporation  AFLAC and affording his family a wonderful new life.

After moving to Rapid City to be near his beloved sister Josephine and her family in the late-1990s Peter enjoyed spending time with his children. He also loved playing poker in Deadwood - often with his brother-in-law Al Michael.  Peter could also be found at Kelly's Sports bar where he played Pitch with his friends.  In his final years Peter enjoyed playing many highly competitive games of Pinochle with -  amongst others - Bernard and his niece Vicki Nord as well as countless nearly as contested battles of Cribbage with his son Jay and daughter Margo.

To the end Peter was selfless with his children, preferring to assist them in improving their lives versus spending on himself.  And that is how we will always fondly remember him - as a giving, loving Father who genuinely took more pleasure and pride in helping his children then doing for himself.  His reward was being incredibly loved and cared for by his niece Vicki, her devoted husband Al Nord and nephew Rod Michael.

Though Peter will be missed terribly by his entire family his presence shall never be gone.  We will continue to share the stories of Peter and his incredible family whose ilk helped deliver our country from the trials of the Depression and beyond.  Their story - as Peter's - are the epitome of the American Dream.