Gregory "Iver" Iverson

August 4, 1949 - December 23, 2011

Dr. Gregory Iverson died from multiple myeloma on December 23, 2011. He had fought this cancer for 6-1/2 years.

Gregory Iverson, or "Iver" as he's been know for over half of his life, was born August 4, 1949, in Binford, N.D., to Norris and Virginia Iverson. This farm family, by necessity and intent, instilled a strong work ethic in him and his two brothers. He was expected to excel in school and other extracurricular activities, including chorus, band and drama. The first time he performed his specialty, The Drifting Whistling Snow, was for a high school talent night. He went on to graduate Summa Cum Laude from Concordia College, and then received a BS in Medicine from the University of North Dakota, and a MD from the University of Minnesota, followed by completing a Residency in Family Medicine in Duluth, Minn., in 1978.

On December 28, 1974, he married the love of his life and soulmate Dianne Porter and they raised two beautiful, talented and intelligent daughters, Megan and Kirsten. They have been a very close and happy family, which has now expanded to include Drew and Aaron, and most recently a beautiful granddaughter, Dregan, who has been one of the highlights of his life these last few months.

In 1979, he began a long career in emergency medicine in Rapid City. He was the first Board Certified Emergency Physician in South Dakota, back during the infancy of emergency medicine as a specialty. He was instrumental in the development of the Advanced Cardiac Life Support in South Dakota, and was the director of the ACLS program at Rapid City Regional Hospital for many years. Additionally, he served on the ACLS Board of the Dakota Affiliate of the American Heart Association for several years.

In addition to his professional life, he was always interested in many hobbies and pursued them with intensity. Over the years he developed a great fondness for computers and became very proficient with the many Apple devices.

Music was always important to him and he sang with the Dakota Choral Union and the Shrine of Democracy Barbershop Chorus for years. He also served on the board, as treasurer, of the Black Hills Symphony Orchestra due to his daughters' involvement in the Black Hills Suzuki Strings.

His garden was one of the driving forces in his life for over the last 30 years. He studied, worked and built a beautiful, productive home garden. Having raised such wonderful produce, he undertook the great joy of gourmet cooking and loved to have friends and family over for summer garden dinners, complete with wine and laughter.

During the gardening months in the Black Hills, there was also beautiful weather to hike and ride his tandem bike with his wife, Dianne, primarily on the Mickelson Trail. Iver and Dianne road the annual Mickelson trail trek 12 of the last 13 years. During snowy months they would take their cross-country skis to the Northern Hills at Eagle Cliff Ski Area several times a week, logging over 100 miles skied per season.

Iver was preceded in death by his father, Norris Iverson. He will be very much missed by his survivors, his wife, Dianne; daughters, Kirsten Iverson (Aaron Snead) of Bridgehampton, N.Y., and Dr. Megan Iverson (Dr. Drew Johnson); granddaughter, Dregan Iverson of Minneapolis, Minn.; his mother, Virginia Iverson; and brothers, Jarl Iverson (Judy) of Fargo, N.D., and Dr. Louis Iverson (Margaret) of Radnor, Ohio; as well as numerous nieces and nephews.