Rawleigh Hazen Ralls III was born in Oklahoma City, OK, in December 1932 to Rawleigh and Rosemary Ralls. Being a "military brat," Rawleigh moved around with his family. He attended St. Joseph’s Elementary School in Norman, OK, and then graduated from New Mexico Military Institute in 1949. After two years at Virginia Military Institute, Rawleigh obtained his appointment to USMA from Senator Robert S. Kerr and entered with the Class of ’55.
After Beast Barracks, Rawleigh was assigned to Company E-1. With his steady place on the Dean’s List, his cross-country running, skeet "21," constant chatter about his OAO, the Debate Council, Ring Committee, SCUSA, and the Fishing Club, Rawleigh kept very busy at the Academy. He graduated in June 1955 and was commissioned in the Artillery branch of the Regular Army.
Rawleigh married Anne Singer, sister of his roommate, Earl "Vee" Singer, in 1955. They were blessed with two daughters and one son—Elizabeth Anne, Devon Anne, and Rawleigh H. IV. Following a divorce in 1974, Rawleigh married Barbara Yates the following year. They had two boys—Creighton Leigh Yates and Rawleigh Hazen Yates. Rawleigh and Barbara divorced in April 1987, and in May 1988, Rawleigh married Rebecca Moore. No children were born to this marriage.
Rawleigh had a number of Artillery assignments, including Ft. Sill and Ft. Jackson, followed by the Naval Post Graduate School (NPGS), where he earned a master of science degree in operations research with his thesis, Decision Making and the Military Estimate of the Situation. In his spare time, while at NPGS, Rawleigh’s love for family and his devotion to his maker came to the front in his participation as a Sunday School teacher.
The next two years were spent in Headquarters, Army Combat Development Command, Ft. Belvoir, followed by two years in the Office of the Chief of Staff, U.S. Army. Rawleigh ended his military career in 1968.
Rawleigh and his family moved to Fayetteville, AR, where he was Associate Professor at the University of Arkansas. In 1971, he earned a Ph.D. in business administration in economics and organization from George Washington University. His doctoral thesis was titled, Time Series Analysis of the Nature of the Demand for Life Insurance. Leaving the University of Arkansas in 1975, Rawleigh became president of Attorney’s Economic Consultants, a firm he started in 1975 and retired from in 1990.
The Defense Research Institute and the National Forensic Center listed Rawleigh as an expert economist, where he served on the National Panel of Advisors. He was retained by more than 200 separate lawyers, law firms, insurance companies, and corporations to testify or advise more than 2,000 cases. He was a listed expert economist and lecturer with the American Trial Lawyers Association. Rawleigh also conducted educational programs for the Arkansas Bar Association, the Arkansas Trial Lawyers Association, the Mississippi Trial Lawyers Association, and other legal organizations.
With his peers, Rawleigh made a dialogue on economics but a monologue on life. He brought to life a sense of what living is all about, as both a Christian and a man. Rawleigh was a very special person. He gave a lot more than he took. For those who had a chance to cross his path, they were blessed by the experience.
Rawleigh passed to his reward in July 1991 in Little Rock and is interred at West Point. We mourn this special human being, but are so proud of the friendship and love he shared during his time with us. Cherished husband, father, classmate, friend—Rawleigh, rest well.