Minter Bailey Ralston IV

We lost a good man. Colonel (Retired) Minter Bailey Ralston IV, 54, died at his home in Charlotte, North Carolina on Tuesday, August 2, 2022 following an extended illness during which he fought hard like the Marine he was. Mint was surrounded by his family when he passed.

Mint was born in Weston, WV on July 18, 1968 and was full of pride to be born and raised in such a wonderful state.

He leaves behind his wife, Stacy Ralston (nee DePew), and his son, Minter Bailey Ralston, V.

Though Mint’s time on earth was cut too short, he accomplished so many of the things he wanted in life. He wanted to be a good husband, and he was a best friend and wonderful partner to Stacy. He wanted to be a good father, and he was an amazing father and role model to Minty.

Mint is, also, survived by his mother, Karen Warner Ralston, and sisters Julie Johnson, Kathryn Ralston-Fealy, and Amanda Ralston (Ashley Shochat), as well as an extended family of Marines, friends, and neighbors. He was preceded in death by his father, Minter Bailey Ralston, III and his brother-in-law Thomas Fealy. He will be missed, but will live on in our hearts.

There is one other major goal Mint achieved. He wanted to be a Marine from the time he was a young boy. When he was in elementary school, Mint wrote a letter to the local Marine recruiter offering to enlist in the Corps. A few weeks later, an envelope addressed to Mint from the recruiter arrived. The recruiter wrote back with admiration for Mint’s patriotism and boldness, while also expressing respect for Mint’s wisdom in choosing the best service. However, the recruiter advised Mint to concentrate on growing up and doing well in school first since all Marines needed to be both smart and strong. Not too many years after sending that letter, Mint was commissioned as a Marine lieutenant upon graduating from Virginia Military Institute. Over the course of his three decades as an infantry officer, he personally made a positive impact on the lives of hundreds of people as mentor, teacher, coach, and caring leader. He was loved by many.

The family would like to thank Mint’s wonderful caregivers: Angela, Eddie, Paula, and Sheila from Senior Helpers, and the hospice team from Carolina Caring. Without your help, they would not have been able to keep Mint home and comfortable. Also, the family would like to thank all the doctors and medical professionals who tried valiantly to figure out how to help Mint.

Burial at Arlington National Cemetery will be Monday, March 27th at 11:00 a.m. with a reception to follow.

Please arrive by 10:15 for Mint’s 11:00 funeral at Arlington National Cemetery on March 27, 2023.

Celebration of Life will be held after his service. It will be held at Patton Hall on board Ft. Myer from 12:30-15:30. (214 Jackson Ave, Fort Myer, VA 22211)

Please RSVP at this link: https://mintralstoncelebrationofl.rsvpify.com

We need to get a rough head count for the venue.

For non-military guests to Ft Myer, you can pre-register for base access online at https://pass.aie.army.mil/jbmhh

We hope to see as many of you there as possible.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Semper Fi and America’s Fund at https://thefund.org/donate or Operation Command at https://operationcommand.org or to Outdoor Odyssey https://www.outdoorodyssey.org.

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.McEwenPinevilleChapel.com for the Ralston family.