It is with profound sadness that the family of Shayla Richelle Ratzlaff shares her unexpected passing at the age of 26 years on Thursday, February 29, 2024 (in true Shayla style being on a leap year) in Sundre, AB where she was working at the time.

Shayla was born on January 30, 1998 to Richelle and Mark in Strathmore, AB at Valley General Hospital.

Shayla had mad love for her family, boyfriend, friends, dogs and a menagerie of other animals. She was an accomplished award-winning dog handler, with several championship awards to prove it.

Shayla worked hard, played hard and loved even harder!

Shayla is survived by her parents Richelle Chambers and Mark Cook (Pam); half-siblings: Salem, Conner and Liam; boyfriend Anthony Brooke; grandparents Aggie and Rick Ratzlaff; along with several treasured aunts, uncles and cousins.

Shayla had a couple of wishes we are hoping to honour along with the help of family and friends. First, she had a wish to support her Auntie Lisa who lives in Zambia as a missionary where she owns a small plot of land. She wanted to build a chicken coop and fill it with chickens to help her Auntie out in her business venture. Second, Shayla's biggest concern that she voiced to close friends and family was that if anything ever happened to her “people better make sure her mom and her dogs were taken care of financially”.

Shayla did not have enough time to see her wishes come true of building the chicken coop. The family is asking that in lieu of flowers to consider a monetary donation to the cause, along with assuring that Richelle, Brio and Pivot are well taken care of in this time of loss and grief (E-transfer donations may be sent to Richelle's email address at rlr.chambers@hotmail.com). Or go the GoFundMe page at https://www.gofundme.com/f/in-memory-of-shayla-ratzlaff?utm_campaign=p_lico+share-sheet-first-launch&utm_medium=copy_link&utm_source=customer

A Celebration of Life for Shayla will be held Friday, March 8, 2024 at Oliver's Funeral Home in Grande Prairie (10007 107Ave.), AB at 1:00pm with a luncheon to follow.

A Livestream of the service will be accessible prior to the service on Shayla Ratzlaff's obituary on Oliver's Funeral Home website.