Ralph Minc
Ralph Minc, longtime Santa Barbara local, passionate athlete, loving husband, father, and grandfather, passed away peacefully on July 4, 2025, at the age of 79.
Ralph was born in Tayport, Scotland, to Catherine Duncan Minc and Hendryk Minc, a Polish Jew who escaped the Nazis and eventually made his way to Scotland. In 1958, the family moved to British Columbia, then to Gainesville, Florida, and finally settled in Santa Barbara in 1963 when Ralph’s father joined the UCSB math department as a professor.
Ralph graduated from Santa Barbara High, where he was a standout basketball player, and later earned his degree from UCSB. He married Vicki Johnson in 1980, and they raised one son, Jeff.
Ralph was an exceptional athlete and loved sports of all kinds. Throughout his life and depending upon where he was living at the time, he played everything from soccer, baseball, football, basketball, tennis, volleyball and cricket. He also loved to surf and could often be found in the early morning hours before work at Hammonds Beach, checking out the waves.
He started his tennis career as Assistant Tennis Pro at La Cumbre Country Club and later became the Head Pro at Montecito Country Club, where he worked for three decades before retiring. He also taught volleyball clinics at East Beach and played in countless tournaments, racking up trophies and friends along the way.
Ralph had a passion for travelling the world with family and friends—he especially looked forward to annual vacations in Hanalei Bay, Kauai. He had a wide circle of close friends, many of whom shared his love of sports, laughter, dogs and his sense of humor.
Ralph is survived by his wife, Vicki; his son, Jeff; daughter-in-law, Sarah; and grandchildren, Cameron and Madison. He was predeceased by his parents and his two brothers, Robert and Raymond.
A celebration of Ralph’s life will be held Saturday, September 7 at 2:00 PM on the upper lawn of the Montecito Club, where Ralph ran the Men’s National Grass Court Tournament for many years. Everyone is welcome.
