Steven Carl Darrah

Steven Carl Darrah, 60, of DeRidder, LA, died on April 25, 2013 after a courageous two year battle with pancreatic cancer.

Steven was born in Rice Lake, Wisconsin on January 13, 1953 to the late Carl Herbert and Leone Julia (Klefstad) Darrah.  He lived in northern Wisconsin until age 12 when his family moved to Sheboygan, WI and Steven graduated from South High School in June 1971. He served in the US Air Force from 1971 – 1973 before attending the University of Wisconsin at Madison, where he earned a BS in Chemical Engineering in May, 1981.

Steven then worked in various positions in the chemical engineering field while serving his country in the National Guard and then the US Army Reserve as an engineer officer.  Steven was awarded a direct commission as a Second Lieutenant in the Corps of Engineers in August 1983.  His duties as an Army Reserve engineer officer took him around the world on various projects in locations such as Europe, Cyprus, Egypt, Belize, Honduras, South Korea, Hawaii and the South Pacific.  He served two tours on active duty after 9/11, including a tour in Kuwait and Iraq at the start of Operation Iraqi Freedom in 2003.  He retired from the US Army Reserve as a Lieutenant Colonel in March 2007.  Steven had been employed with the Beauregard Parish Sheriff’s Department since June 2008 and served as bailiff to Judge O’Neal at the time of his passing.

Steven is survived by his wife, Deborah; daughter, Suzanne Darrah Maltezos and husband Ilias of West Allis, WI; son, Paul Darrah and wife Tammy of DeRidder, LA as well as a step daughter, Sarah Rich McCoy and husband Gabriel of San Diego, CA.  He is survived by a grandson, Jaycob Logan Darrah, 11, of DeRidder, LA and a grandson, Maximos Ilias Scott Maltezos, 4 of West Allis, WI.  He is also survived by a brother, Brooks, of Chicago, IL, and sisters, Brenda Darrah Markelz of Sheboygan, WI and Carla Darrah of Sheboygan Falls, WI as well as numerous cousins, nieces and nephews.

Steven was preceded in death by his parents, and youngest brother, Scott Bradley Darrah.

Visitation will be held on Wednesday, May 1, 2013 at Myers-Colonial Funeral Home in DeRidder, LA from 4:00pm until 8:00pm.  Funeral services will be held on Thursday, May 2, 2013 at 2:00pm at New Life Baptist Church in DeRidder, LA, with Lynn Clayton and Bro. Roger Gill officiating.  A private service and inurnment for the family will be held at the Southern Wisconsin Veteran’s Cemetery at Union Grove, WI.

In lieu of floral arrangements, the family requests that donations be made to  the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network at 1500 Rosecrans Ave. Suite 200  Manhattan Beach, CA 90266 or at pancan.org.

Steven’s family would like to offer a special thanks to the wonderful staff at Harbor Hospice of Oakdale, LA and their excellent assistance during his infirmity and time of need.