Captain Mark Gregory Ratledge was an exceptional firefighter‚ loving family man‚ and devoted friend to many. Mark began his career as a firefighter serving as both a volunteer and as a temporary firefighter with the Redding and Cottonwood Fire Departments and the U.S. Forest Service at Harrison Gulch. He was appointed as fire captain with the Cottonwood Fire Department in 2008 and gladly took on the role of training officer‚ as safety was one of his highest job priorities.

Mark thoroughly enjoyed the outdoors and animals and spent happy times with his constant best friend‚ Tigger. In passing‚ Mark leaves behind his two-year-old daughter‚ Sophia‚ and her mother and his future wife‚ Jennifer Hobbs; and Jennifer’s children‚ Hannah Jasperse and Connor Hobbs‚ with whom he had already developed a fatherly bond. Mark also leaves his mother‚ Maria Closa‚ of Redding‚ along with a large extended maternal family in Barcelona‚ Spain‚ including his 89-year-old grandmother‚ with whom he shares a March 2nd birthdate; his sister‚ Susana‚ of Stockton‚ and his father and stepmother‚ Jack and Candace Ratledge. Mark was killed on February 29‚ 2012‚ at the scene of a traffic accident‚ where he was struck by a truck that lost control as it passed the accident scene.