DODGE CITY, Kan. – The void that Jeff Lopp left behind has yet to be filled.

It’s an empty space that his family hopes to one day occupy, but it’s still too soon. It’s an abandonment with which the community is handling. It’s a long-term relationship that’s been vacated since his death in late December.

“Dad was a very generous man,” Jeffrey Lopp said of his father, a lifelong Dodge City resident and second-generation owner of Lopp Motors. “Any way that he could help somebody in need, he would. He had a very big heart, and it didn’t matter if it was in the community or an organization or one of the employees in need, he gave back to them.”

Jeff Lopp was community-minded, a trait that was passed down to him by his father, Bill. It’s also something he shared with his son, who will continue the partnership Lopp Motors has had for decades with Dodge City Roundup Rodeo, which will take place at 7:45 p.m. Wednesday, July 31-Sunday, Aug. 4, at Roundup Arena; Dodge City Xtreme Bulls is set for 7:45 p.m. Tuesday, July 30.

“My grandad jumped in with Roundup from the get-go,” Jeffery Lopp said of the rodeo’s inaugural run 47 years ago “It’s been a very strong tradition in our family. That’s something we were always very supportive of and very proud to be part of. We started from scratch just like Roundup did.

“To see what it has become today and the name that it has for Dodge City is spectacular.”

While the rodeo has been recognized as one of the best for decades – it has been named PRCA Rodeo of the Year nine times and is enshrined in the ProRodeo Hall of Fame – much of that has to do with the support it receives from the community. Thousands of fans flock to Roundup Arena each summer, which is an attractive feature for sponsors.

Lopp Motors was on board long before the rodeo experienced such growth and has remained a vital cog in the wheel that brings hundreds of the sport’s top contestants to Dodge City.

“What people don’t get is what goes on down at the arena when the actual rodeo performance isn’t going on,” Jeffrey Lopp said, referring to the high number of contestants who compete at Roundup. “To sit there and try to put a dollar amount on what is sitting out there in the parking lot during slack is absolutely mind-blowing.

“On top of that, you look at all the people that give their time to help that rodeo thrive and strive to be better and don’t get near the accolades they should. They do it because they’re proud of it and what they do for Dodge City.”

The economics of the rodeo are simple: Between the number of contestants that come to Ford County and the large fan base that watches the action, people are spending a bundle in this community while the rodeo is in town.

“The rodeo is the single most promotional thing in Dodge City that people talk about year-round,” he said. “Inevitably when you’re having a conversation, something gets brought up abut the rodeo. It’s a staple. It’s something the community looks forward to.”

It’s why the Lopp family has been a supporter for so many years. It was important four decades ago, and it’s still vital today. Lopp Motors has been part of the Dodge Rodeo/Ram Rodeo promotion, and it was something in which Jeff Lopp took great pride.

“My dad loved this business,” Jeffrey Lopp said. “He lived the business probably 24/7. He was proud to be on the dealer council for Chrysler and give dealer feedback at the corporate level, and he took great pride in that.

“He was listening to the problems that inevitably go on in any industry, and he was always looking for ways to move forward with that.”

Jeff Lopp graduated from Dodge City High School and attended Dodge City Community College and Emporia State University. He enjoyed fishing, hunting, NASCAR and coaching youth sports.

“One of his claims to fame is that he got to throw out the first pitch at a Royals baseball game,” Jeffrey Lopp said. “To this day, I still have that jersey hanging on my wall.”

Reflections of a life well-lived are hard, especially just a few months after losing his father, but Jeffrey Lopp has a memory bank to cherish and an appreciation for his dad that is unmatched. The pain he feels is just a reminder of the love the two have shared.

“I want him to be remembered for the person he was, how gracious he was and what he did for anybody and everybody,” he said.