When a comedian dies at 45, it’s natural to wonder what happens to the family they leave behind. Ralphie May, the sharp-witted stand-up who became a household name after Last Comic Standing, died unexpectedly on October 6, 2017, leaving behind a wife and two children — and a will that would become the subject of public curiosity.
Born: February 17, 1972 ·
Died: October 6, 2017 ·
Net worth at death: $1.5 million ·
Spouse: Lahna Turner (m. 2005; separated 2017) ·
Children: 2
Quick snapshot
- Cause of death: cardiac arrest due to hypertensive cardiovascular disease (TheWrap (entertainment news))
- Net worth at death: $1.5 million (Encyclopedia of Arkansas (state historical reference))
- Will left everything to wife Lahna Turner (Encyclopedia of Arkansas)
- Whether Lahna Turner has remarried (no public confirmation)
- Current whereabouts or public activity of May’s children
- Exact value of estate after debts or taxes
- Exact birth date (Feb 1 vs Feb 17 depending on source)
- 1972: Born in Chattanooga
- 2005: Runner-up on Last Comic Standing; marries Lahna Turner
- 2017: Files for divorce; dies in October; will filed naming wife as beneficiary
- No known legal challenges to the will
- Legacy managed by widow Lahna Turner
- Children remain out of the public eye
Key biographical facts
Six data points define the comedian’s profile, drawn from authoritative sources.
| Attribute | Detail |
|---|---|
| Full name | Ralph Duren May |
| Born | February 17, 1972, Chattanooga, Tennessee, U.S. (some sources list Feb 1) |
| Died | October 6, 2017, Knoxville, Tennessee (per coroner report) |
| Spouse | Lahna Turner (2005–2017, separated at death) |
| Children | 2 (April June May and August James May) |
| Net worth at death | $1.5 million |
The implication: the discrepancy in birth date and the separation not finalized before death create small but notable legal wrinkles.
What happened to Ralphie May’s wife and kids?
Who is Lahna Turner?
Lahna Turner is a comedian and actress who married Ralphie May on July 3, 2005, according to the Encyclopedia of Arkansas (state historical reference). She and May had two children: a daughter, April June May (born September 2007), and a son, August James May (born June 2009), per Wikipedia (community-edited encyclopedia). In early 2017, Turner filed for divorce, but the divorce was not finalized at the time of May’s death, as noted in TheWrap (entertainment news).
Did Ralphie May have children?
Yes, two children: April June May and August James May, as reported in ABC7 (local news affiliate). May’s will, filed shortly after his death, left his entire estate to Lahna Turner, according to the Encyclopedia of Arkansas. The children’s current public activities are not widely reported; they appear to live a private life away from the spotlight.
Lahna Turner, as sole beneficiary, controls the estate and the children’s financial future. For the kids, staying out of social media and press may be exactly the inheritance they need.
Who inherited Ralphie May’s money?
Was there a legal dispute over the estate?
Ralphie May’s will explicitly left all his assets to his wife, Lahna Turner. Encyclopedia of Arkansas (state historical reference) states the will was
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Kevin Bennett covers business, markets and economic policy for Oz Insightlab.