Travis Gallop

With profound sadness, we announce the unexpected passing of a man whose presence made the world brighter, kinder, and infinitely more interesting. On June 5, 2026, Travis James Gallop, 55, took his final ride, trading the highways of this world for the endless roads of Heaven, passing away in Sioux Falls, South Dakota.

Travis ‘Porkchop’ was born on October 5, 1970, to Gabrielle Lamp and Ronnie Gallop in Lynch, Nebraska. During his early years, Travis, along with his family, moved frequently between Alaska and Nebraska before settling in the Watertown, South Dakota area. He was raised in Goodwin, South Dakota with his mother and stepfather, William McClintic. He began elementary school in Goodwin, then completed his elementary schooling and attended high school in Clear Lake, South Dakota.

As a young adult, Travis lived in Watertown, South Dakota where he worked as a certified welder and began to grow his family. Travis married Sarah Adler (DeBoer) on April 10, 1999. To this union four children were born. Though they later divorced they remained lifelong friends.

Travis later moved to Aberdeen and met Jennifer Kusekoski. Together they share a daughter, Madsyn, and he gained three bonus children: Devin Kusekoski, Christian Jeschke, and Abigail Noltner.

Driven by a love for travel and hands-on work, Travis spent years exploring the country through various construction jobs, in various roles, most recently as a Construction Superintendent. He had an eclectic work-interest that made hard work enjoyable to him, even taking part in the annual Custer State Park Buffalo Roundup one unforgettable year. He also earned his EMT-B certification from Lake Area Technical College (formerly Vo-Tech) in Watertown and obtained his Wildland Firefighter Type 1 Certificate from the State of South Dakota.

For the last 15 years, Travis made the Sioux Falls area his home. He spent many dedicated years working at Gil Haugan Construction and was filled with anticipation to begin a new chapter at Pico’s Garage, a position he was incredibly excited about. Outside of work, Travis found joy in life's simple pleasures; he recently began teaching himself to play the guitar and cherished every moment spent with his loyal dog, Monte (whom he wished to have his cremains commingled with), and his beloved cats, Princess and Stevie.

Travis had a deeply compassionate heart, often combining his love for riding with photography, resulting in the breathtaking sunset motorcycle images he frequently posted to social media. His artistically creative spirit extended to drawing and curating a collection of original art. He was also a skilled craftsman who delighted in bringing vintage watches back to life.

Travis was preceded in death by his son Jason Adler; Ronnie Gallop; his stepfather, Gary Scriver; his grandson Jack Schmidt; his best friend, Steve King, and his maternal and paternal grandparents; and numerous aunts, uncles, and cousins.

Travis is survived by his mother, Gabrielle Lamp-Scriver of Goodwin; his stepfather, William McClintic of Watertown; his biological father, Marvin Reihe of Brookings; his son, James of Huron; his son, James (Tabbitha) Adler of Sioux Falls; his daughter Jolynn (Nick Schmidt) Adler and two grandsons, Jarrett and Jensen of Florence; his daughter, Madsyn Kusekoski of Sioux Falls; his brother, Charles (Jennifer) Gallop of Gower, Missouri; his brother, Jessie (Natalie) Gallop of Elkton; his sister, Nicholle McClintic of Wisconsin; his sister, Michelle (Randy Fenner) McClintic of Sioux Falls; his sister, Tammy (Mike) Brende of Charles Town, West Virginia; his sister Gina Reihe of Brookings; his chosen-brothers, Steve (Marie) Whitman of Sioux Falls and Jeff (Stacy) Hagen of Watertown; eight grandchildren, with one due in December, and many nieces and nephews whom he adored being Uncle to, along with a host of aunts, uncles and cousins, and many dear friends, all of whom he treasured.

A private funeral service for family and close friends will take place at 6:00 PM on Tuesday, June 16th, at Chapel Hill Funeral Home, 901 S Minnesota Ave, Sioux Falls. Visitation will precede the service, beginning at 4:00 PM. A private family burial will occur at a later date, where he will be reunited to rest with his son, Jason Adler, in Revillo Cemetery, Revillo, South Dakota.

A Celebration of Life for Travis will be held on July 18th from 2:00 PM to 6:00 PM at Big J’s Roadhouse, 211 Stofferahn Drive, Humboldt, SD.

His legacy is not measured in years, but in lives touched, burdens lifted, and hearts made lighter by simply knowing him.

May we honor his memory by living with the same open heart, generous spirit, and unwavering compassion that defined his remarkable life.