Steven Rappolee

Steven Torry Rappolee of San Francisco, CA passed away on June 11, 2025.

Steven was born in San Diego to Don and Elizabeth “Beth” Rappolee and raised by his Foster Family, spending his childhood in La Jolla, CA, where he called home. One of his first memories with his foster family was flying to Italy. This memory had a big impact on his life, and He wrote about it online in 2022.

Steven attended Mount Miguel High School, graduating in 1977. Afterwards, Steve joined the Air Force as an airplane mechanic (1979-1986) and later served in two other military branches (Navy and Army), finishing as a reservist for three decades and in the US Air National Guard. Later, he served with KBR in Northern Iraq in logistic support following the US occupation of Iraq after the 2003 “shock and awe” campaign. Steven Rappolee received a Meritorious Service Award for his services to his country.

As an adult he reunited with members of his birth family. He lived with his brother, Daniel, and his family at different times in San Francisco, Chicago, and Metro Detroit. He also visited his family in Virginia.

Steven matriculated at St. Clair County Community College in 2009 and received an Associate of Arts degree in 2013. He studied anthropology at the University of Michigan, Flint (2013-2016) and previously attended the University of Tennessee, Chattanooga.

Steve had an active mind and read widely, being most interested in Geography. He traveled worldly and lived in Japan while in the Navy. He vacationed in the Seychelles during his KBR R&R. He lived in several other cities in Eastern Asia (2016-2017): Okunoshima Island (A.K.A. Rabbit Island in Japan, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Beijing, Taipei, Singapore to Indonesia as well as Seoul, South Korea and Katmandu, Nepal.

Career opportunities led Steve to live in Boston, Seattle, and Chattanooga. His career highlights: He started two diverse companies: Terrestrial & Cislunar Exploration Technologies (CEO) in 2013 for navigating the necessary manned lunar and planetary spaceflight and the other: Rappolee Farms for beekeeping. He leveraged unused federal property for beekeeping, enhancing functions in pollination and honey production.

Steve was active in several unions and brought two successful lawsuits to improve conditions for the working man.

Steve was unmarried but had many friends throughout his life. He worked as a Janitor in both San Francisco and at Harvard University in Boston, a Truck Driver across the US, and lastly, coming back to San Francisco as a Security Guard.

Steven was preceded in death by his parents, Donald and Elizabeth Rappolee. Steve is survived by his loving brothers, David Rappolee (wife Kate MacDonald) and Daniel Rappolee (wife Elizabeth Puscheck); one niece Eleanor Rappolee (husband David Sandahl), and two nephews Thomas and Benjamin Rappolee. He loved cats and rescued many (see multiple pictures on his social media). His long-term pet and companion at death was his cat, Oliver.