Steven G Meier

Steven Gregory Meier, 72, of Palmer, Alaska, passed away at his home on May 21, 2025 of pancreatic cancer. He was surrounded by loved ones.
Steve was born in Palmer on October 18, 1952 to Robert and Bonnie (Larsh) Meier (Wilden). He graduated from East High School in Anchorage in 1971. In 1973 Steve married his soulmate, Terri. He started out as a drywall finisher and went on to earn a degree in paralegal studies from the University of San Diego in 1987. Steve worked for the State of Alaska, Public Defender's Office for a few years before finding his true passion as a truck driver. Steve and Terri founded Meier Trucking in 1991.
Tall and handsome, Steve had a deep gravelly voice, a great sense of humor, and a kindness, humility and generosity that earned him the nickname "Big Steve." He coached his kid's basketball and T-ball teams, building lifelong friendships with many of the kids, who are now adults. These are the individuals Big Steve referred to as his kids, and many stayed in close contact. During the last few weeks of his life many of his kids came to share how much he had impacted them. Even after his coaching days, there was no mistaking Big Steve's booming voice from the sidelines of a Palmer High football or basketball game cheering for all his kids. His bear hugs were legendary.
Steve and Terri ran Meier Trucking out of their home, a modest double-wide trailer, with a big garage out back. "The shop" served as the family room. Steve and Terri made everyone feel welcome, people affectionately called the trailer, The Castle. Their home was a place where people never felt judged and where laughter ruled the day. Projects were always underway, and that was a big part of the magic. Steve and Terri's was a place where you could do something, learn something, feel useful fixing cars, moving equipment, or preparing a burrito spread. Lift the hood on a vehicle at the Castle, and it was like the bat signal; Steve's neighbors and best friends, Timmy & Leo, showed up on 4-wheelers within seconds.
"That garage kept half the cars in the Valley running while I was in high school," one person remarked after Big Steve's death.
"We were accepted before we even had to prove our worth," said another. "And the laughter The silliness was HUGE."
Big Steve enjoyed building cars, snowmachining, tinkering in his shop, watching and playing sports (he loved his time on Teeland's Moonshine Shop Men's softball team, and played in a men's basketball league). After Terri passed, in 2018, Big Steve found a wonderful community of friends at the Elks Lodge.
A testament to the profound impact he had on so many, in Steve's final weeks, people traveled from across the country to spend a few more moments with him and help with whatever small piece they could in his end-of-life care. In this motley crew of chefs and nurses, CEOs and writers, mechanics and graphic artists, pilots and construction workers, old and young, Steve gave a final gift, people remarked, of healing, reflection and confidence and a reminder about the thing that matters most in life: the connection we build with others.
Steve was predeceased by his wife, Terri Meier. He is survived by Lorali, Regg, Ta, Sandoz, Robbie, Arianna, Little Steven, Maxwell, Michael, Daniele, Cathy, Bob, Deb, Bonnie, Philip, Karen, Winter, Lily, Nate, Michaela, Nash, Jeremiah, and many more. Father of two, Dad to many.
Big Steve's Celebration of Life will be held Sunday, June 1 from 3-5 p.m. at the Elks Lodge in Palmer.