Scott City, Mo.—As funeral services for the young woman who drowned over the weekend in Kentucky Lake are announced, the family has thanked the “Calloway County Fire-Rescue volunteers who brought our daughter back to us.”
Samantha Brooke Ratledge, age 22, of Scott City, Mo., fell off of a pontoon boat Sunday in Kentucky Lake and rescue workers found her body on Tuesday morning after days of searching.
The family also is asking for donations to the Calloway County Fire-Rescue, P.O. Box 612, Murray, KY 42071 to help buy updated sonar equipment for the department.
She was a student at Murray State University and worked at The Keg in Murray.
Samantha Brooke Ratledge, 22, of Scott City, died Sunday, Sept. 1, 2019, at Kentucky Lake.
Born Nov. 12, 1996, in Cape Girardeau, daughter of Gary “David” Ratledge II and Nikki Goodwin, she was a waitress at The Keg in Murray, Kentucky. Sam graduated from Kelly High School in Benton, Missouri, where she was a two-time first team All-State softball player in her sophomore and junior years and also achieved All-State track and field status in the long jump, the triple jump and the 4 by 1200 relay. From high school, Sam went on to Mineral Area College in Park Hills, Missouri, where she was a key member of the school’s softball team. She played two years and was outstanding, starting her freshman year when they won the regional tournament. That year Sam batted .340 with 32 hits including four doubles, four triples, a home run and 15 runs batted in. The following year, she batted .375 with 57 hits, including 13 doubles a triple and seven home runs with 33 runs batted in. She was an outstanding defensive player and could play anywhere.
After two years at MAC, Sam signed to play softball at Keiser University in West Palm Beach, Florida, in the fall of 2016. She returned home and was attending Murray State University, pursuing a degree in occupational safety and health.
Sam enjoyed sports and crafts as well as being mechanically inclined and a very hands on girl. She loved life, family, friends, playing pranks and gave it her all in every facet of life.
She is survived by her mother, Nikki Caldwell of Glen Allen, Missouri; her father David (Rhonda) Ratledge of Scott City; a brother, Blaze Stephens of Glen Allen; a sister, Brailey Ratledge of Scott City; maternal grandparents, Dennis and Karen Goodwin of Quincy, Illinois; paternal grandparents, Gary and Sharon Ratledge of Benton, Missouri, Ronnie Burton of Sikeston, Missouri, and Doris and Russ Breymeyer of Benton as well as numerous aunts, uncles, cousins and loving friends.
She was preceded in death by her grandmother, Carol Goodwin.
Our family would like to thank the Calloway County Fire-Rescue volunteers who brought our daughter back to us.
Visitation will be from 10 a.m. until the time of service at 3 p.m. Saturday at the Kelly High School in Benton with the Revs. Michael Casteel and Dennis Lowe officiating.
Burial will be in Unity Baptist Cemetery at Benton.
Amick-Burnett Funeral Chapel of Scott City is in charge of arrangements.
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