Steven Edward Ratliff

Steven Edward Ratliff, 48, died at home Feb. 2, 2012, with his family at his side in Wasilla.

A Memorial Mass in honor of Steven is March 16 at St. Isidore Catholic Church, 628 Diamond Avenue Northeast, Grand Rapids, Mich. A majority of Steven’s ashes will be buried next to his first wife, Kathleen, at Highland View Cemetery. The remainder of his ashes will be placed in Prince William Sound.

Steven was born March 16, 1963, in Grand Rapids, Mich., to Clarence and Olga (Saenz) Ratliff.

Steven moved to Wasilla in 1998. He was an entrepreneur of many businesses throughout his life, with the most recent being his passion of dealing CP Oneida bows through his venture of owning AK Archery. Steven was a devout Catholic and attended Sacred Heart Parish in Wasilla. He followed in his father’s footsteps and was proud to call himself a Mason. He was an avid hunter, fisherman and overall outdoor enthusiast.

The family wrote: “He enjoyed hunting with his four boys in the fall and teaching them everything he knew. He loved spending the summers slaying fish in the Prince William Sound on his pride and joy yacht, the ‘Taco Bender,’ with his wife, children and fishing buddies, Larry and Jacque Ficek, and Andy and Nancy McCalister.”

Steven was preceded in death by his first loving wife, Kathleen; his infant son, Justin; most recently his father, Don; and his grandmother, Hazel.

He is survived by his wife, Cassandra of Wasilla; sons, Ryan of Anchorage, Jason of Grand Rapids, Mich., Hunter of Wasilla and Cody Steven of Wasilla; daughter, Stevie Loree of Wasilla; mother, Olga of Wyoming, Mich.; sister, Mary of Grand Rapids, Mich.; brother, Tim; sister-in-law, Lorrie; nephew, Adam; nieces, Kaitlin, Coley and Paige, all of Allendale, Mich.; and many close friends and family.

Donations in memory of Steven may be made to St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital, 501 St. Jude Place, Memphis, TN 38105 or online at stjude.org.

Valley Funeral Home and Crematory cared for the family.