Ralph Williams joined the Air Force in the post high school years. At the time of his death he was stationed at Travis Air Force Base. He died in a horrific car crash into an overpass abutment in late October 1965. The impact was so great that the engine ended up 600 feet down the freeway. He was the only occupant of the car and it was early morning hours.

He was a descendent of the founder of Sherwin Williams paint company and his dad managed the west coast operations.