Very sad news, long time South Dakota attorney and Republican politico Rolly Samp passed away on Tuesday at the age of 82.
Rollyn “Rolly” Habeger Samp, 82 of Sioux Falls, SD, passed away on Tuesday, September 1, 2026, at Dow Rummel Village.
Visitation with the family present will be from 4 to 7 pm on Monday, September 7, 2026, at St. Mark’s Lutheran Church. A funeral service will be held at 10 am on Tuesday, September 8, 2026, at St. Mark’s Lutheran Church.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests that memorials be directed to the family to be distributed in Rolly’s honor at a future date.
You can read his obituary here.
While not in the obit, a bio of Rolly’s hints of his long-time involvement in South Dakota politics:
Rolly headed the South Dakota field staff of U.S. Rep. Ben Reifel, then managed his three successful re-election campaigns. He then headed the gubernatorial campaign of Attorney General Frank Farrar, and at age 25 became chief of staff to the Governor of South Dakota.
In 1972 he organized a citizens group to successfully authorize and fund a four-year medical school for the state. He successfully fought for authorization of private college student funding in 1976. In 1977, Rolly was a leader in the group that removed a 45 year ban on championship high school football playoffs in the state. In 1985, he founded South Dakotans to Save Our Lakes and served as president from 1987 to 1991. He was chairman of the Minnehaha County Ambulance Study in 1993. He served on the Governor’s Task Force on Trust Reform which was enacted by the SD Legislature. He co-authored a South Dakota Law Review article on trust situs (SD Law Review No. 44/3).
Rolly served 8 years as Chief Tribal Judge of the Flandreau Santee Sioux Tribe. He served as chairman of the SD Bar Association Group Insurance Committee, a member of the Minority Task Force of the SD Association of Christian Churches and as the Governor’s appointee to the SD Emergency Food & Shelter Board.
He is the author of several books including, “The Final Tithe: A Christian Approach to Estate Planning.” He was a YMCA youth basketball coach for 18 years, spent five years as a Boy Scout leader, served on the Sioux Falls Library Board and has held many church, civic and charitable positions. Rolly and his wife Karen have four children along with serving as foster parents to over 70 children.
Rolly was awarded a Honorary Doctoral Degree of Public Service at Dakota State University in December of 2022 for his contributions to South Dakota and was recognized as being partly to credit for Dakota State changing their mission to focus on computer education.
Rolly also masterminded Bill Janklow’s first campaign for Governor, and was involved in many, many Republican campaigns in the state through his many years. Rolly also mentored many in politics, myself included, and fostered their involvement. We’re all a richer state for his working to make South Dakota a better place.
A really civic minded, charitable guy. The best