Stephen Von Stratten is the Von Stratten family patriarch, father of Patty and Jackie, husband of Janice (his second wife), and brother to Jeanette. He is a security member at the state legislature, and is a physically abusive drunk who is haunted by his past, and beats his wife and children. He is cruel, vindictive, and slovenly at home. After discovering his daughter drinking and dating, as well as punching Carmen and destroying school property, he ships Patty off to Jeanette's for the summer. While Patty is gone, and with his wife pregnant, Stephen beats up Patty's younger sister, Jackie.
In his past, Stephen destroyed a relationship between Jeanette and a non-Mormon, Kevin, by beating Kevin up and threatening to kill them both. A Vietnam veteran, Stephen is haunted by his first wife's suicide following the combat death of one son, and the coming out of a second son as gay. Stephen names his daughters after famous generals, and is desperately seeking a son.
