Paul H. Royer, 80, of Brookings, died Thursday, August 21, 2003, at St. Marys Hospital in Rochester, Minnesota. Memorial services will be held 11:00 A.M. Monday, August 25, 2003, at Ascension Lutheran Church in Brookings. Paul H. Royer was born September 3, 1922, at Mt. Jackson, Virginia, to Paul and Grace (Moyer) Royer. He graduated from high school in 1940 in Bluefield, West Virginia. He attended Westminster Choir College from 1940 until 1942. He received his bachelor of music degree in 1947 and master of music degree from the University of Cincinnati College of Music. He was employed at the College of Music from 1948 until 1950 and was Minister of Music from 1950 until 1951. He was on the staff of Huron College from 1951 until 1957, on sabbatical for a year, and then returned to Huron College until 1968. He completed post-graduate work under a Danforth Fellowship at Indiana University in 1956, 1957, 1958, and 1961. He was a professor in the music department at South Dakota State University from 1968 until 1987. From 1973 until 1987 he was a Composer in Residence at SDSU, the first in South Dakota. Paul served in the U.S. Army during World War II, from December 28, 1942, until January 16, 1946. On June 12, 1949, he married Ruth Duning at Richmond, Indiana. Paul was a member of Ascension Lutheran Church, Lions, Sertoma, Kiwanis and Golden K, the South Dakota Music Teachers, American Guild of Organists, the National Association of Music Teachers, serving as Division President and State President and on the National Board of Directors, and the South Dakota Composers Association. His special interests included photography, gardening, wine-making, and traveling. Survivors include his wife, Ruth D. Royer, of Brookings; and four children: Judith Royer of Springfield, Missouri, Dr. Randall Royer of Spearfish, South Dakota, Ronald Royer of Grapevine, Texas, and Peter Royer of Litchfield, Minnesota; ten grandchildren; and one sister, Nan Draeger, of Durham, North Carolina. Memorials may be directed to the Paul and Ruth Royer Music Scholarships for the SDSU Music Department, Ascension Lutheran Church, and Lutheran Social Services.