Shailesh Patel, 66, a loving father, husband, brother and friend passed away unexpectedly of a heart attack on September 30th, 2023.

He was born on July 16th 1957, to Ratilal and Jashoda Patel in Ndola, Zambia. He was the first of three children, all boys.  In 1968 he attended Bhavans Public school in India and then graduated in 1978 with a Bachelor of Geology from M S University, Baroda, India. He continued his schooling journey at South Dakota School of Mines in Rapid City; where he graduated with a Master of Mining Engineering in 1982.

After graduating, Shailesh traveled to different areas to work in underground mines, working in Colorado and in Zambia before starting work in Rapid City, where he lived out the rest of his life. He loved working and had such a passion for his field. Many people say he had such a sharp mind, and it was true; his brain was full of endless knowledge and quirky anecdotes! He always tried to take the opportunity to share his knowledge with others.

In 1989, Shailesh traveled to London to visit family. While on his vacation, he hit his stride and met the love of his life, Mina. All of his friends in the USA were surprised to hear, mid trip, that he was extending his vacation! They were even more surprised to find out that he was newly engaged when he returned back home to Rapid City!!

Shailesh and Mina were married on April 7th, 1990, in London, England. They welcomed their daughter, Shivani, in 1993, and their son, Sagar, in 1995.

With his family, Shailesh discovered his love for snow skiing. He loved skiing at his home mountain of Terry Peak, and taking ski trips to Utah and Montana with his family and friends. His stubbornness and no quit attitude pushed him and his doctor to get him back on slopes despite breaking his leg -- all three times. His passion for skiing was passed onto his children who have now become certified ski instructors. It is only fitting that Shailesh will be a driving force for the continued development of future skiers. As much as he liked going skiing, he loved shopping for ski gear and finding the best "deal" he could. His friends affectionately gave him the nick name "Pat Many Coats".

Apart from skiing, Shailesh had many passions and hobbies, he always loved adventure and spending time with his family & friends. During the summer months, you would often find him out on the sailboat at the lake, beer in hand and back seat sailing.

Another passion of Shailesh's was cooking, you would always find him in his two favorite spots; in the kitchen or next to the grill. His love language was feeding everyone and sharing Indian cuisine. Even before he met Mina, he was cooking for his friends. They nicknamed one of his chicken dishes "Bird On Fire" because of all the spices and hotness of this dish! But despite the heat, even after all these years, his friends would never turn down the invite to a gathering knowing that there would be great food. Eventually, his cooking abilities were passed down to his kids. However, he was never too far away, always watching and always critiquing.

In 2005, Shailesh and Mina took a huge leap and bought their first hotel, its' success led to the running of three hotels in total. As you can expect, Shailesh insisted on doing as much of the maintenance himself as possible. This time working together as a family, became precious to everyone involved. He was able to pass on all of his experience and knowledge to his kids, which has helped shape the incredible people they have become today. Now together, Mina, Sagar & Shivani will continue to honor and live on his legacy, remembering everything he's taught them and all the memories they've shared together.

Survived by his loving wife Mina, his children Shivani and Sagar, of Rapid City, SD; brothers, Uday (Meena) Patel, Ishit (Kirti) Patel, of London, UK; as well as many nephews and nieces, cousins and loving friends.

He is preceded in death by his father, Ratilal Patel; his mother, Jashoda Patel; his grandparents and many aunts & uncles.

There will be a Celebration of Life for Shailesh Patel from 4:00-7:00 p.m. on Monday, October 9, 2023 at the Dahl Arts Center (713 7th St, Rapid City, SD 57701) - open house style.