Dr. Ralph Chapman Setzler Jr.

June 30, 1936 ~ October 4, 2023 (age 87)

Dr. Ralph Chapman Setzler, Jr. passed away peacefully on Wednesday, October 4, 2023.

Born in Concord, NC on June 30, 1936, Ralph was the son of the late Ralph Sr. and Jeanette Setzler. One of three siblings, he was preceded in death by his sisters, Barbara Larsen and Martha Setzler, his wife, Peggy, as well as his beloved son, Brandon.

After ten years of service in the United States Air Force, Ralph landed in Wilmington, NC where he raised his family and practiced dentistry for thirty years. As a proud graduate of the UNC School of Dentistry, he was a passionate Tar Heel fan through and through! A long-time Pine Valley Methodist Church member, Ralph loved singing with the chancel choir. He enjoyed giving back to others by donating time and resources to church-sponsored Holiday meals, selling Christmas trees at the church lot, and assisting with the annual choir yard sale where he was known to get rid of his wife’s “treasures”. Ralph also enjoyed fishing trips with his buddies, and family too, and never complained when he was asked repeatedly to bait the hooks for his five grandchildren. Ralph enjoyed sharing his passion for snow-skiing with his family and made a memorable exit at age 75 on his very last family ski trip. He lost a ski on the slope, took off the other ski, and walked up the hill with a few choice words, never to ski again! He enjoyed golfing in his free time and found it a great way to keep in touch with high-school and college friends despite his mediocre golf game.

Ralph will always be remembered for his generosity, his hard work, and his dedication to his family and beloved grandchildren.

Ralph is survived by his two daughters, Ashley Bertz (Chuck) and Meredith Bertz (Greg) of Cary, NC, and five grandchildren: Brandon, Conner, and Anna Bertz and Hunter and Jackson Gill. He is also survived by his niece, Elizabeth Lowrey, and nephew, John Helms.

If you feel led, memorials may be made to the chancel choir at Pine Valley Methodist Church in Wilmington NC, or to the Johnston Health Foundation Hospice Fund.

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