Virginia Minx

Virginia A. (Sheldon) Minx died peacefully on February 18, 2011 at the home of her daughter near Knoxville, Tennessee. She was the loving wife of the late Donald R. Minx and adoring mother of Donnis E. Minx. “Ginny” was a long-time resident of Jonesboro, Arkansas, where her husband served as Director of Bands and Chair of the Department of Music at Arkansas State University from 1953-1982.


Born in Morocco, Indiana in 1922 to Leroy James and Mayme (DeArmond) Sheldon, Ginny graduated from Indiana State University where she was a member of Sigma Alpha Iota and Delta Gamma. Before she and Don moved to Jonesboro in 1953, Ginny taught elementary and high school music in Northern Indiana. In Jonesboro, she taught at East Elementary, but is best remembered for private piano instruction of local musicians, several of whom continued in professional music studies to become performers, orchestra members, music teachers, choral and band directors.


Ginny was a member of First Presbyterian Church. Her ASU campus involvement included Faculty Women’s Club, SAI and many summers working at the ASU Twirling Clinic and Dixie Band Camp. Since her husband’s death in 1982, her passion and devotion was in overseeing the selection of recipients for the Donald R. Minx Memorial Scholarship. To date, more than $36,000 has been awarded to 26 students studying music at ASU through the scholarship program.


Ginny will be greatly missed by her only child, Donnis, and her only brother and sister-in-law, Leroy James “JR” and Barbara Sheldon (Cincinnati, OH). Nephews are Jay, Eric, Todd (dec.), Scott and Peter Sheldon and Charles Minx. Nieces are Trish Sheldon Pachak, Mary Kaye Minx Schultz and Janice Minx Jock.


Friends and community members are invited to attend a Musical Memorial to celebrate the life of Virginia Minx on Saturday, February 26th at 3:00 pm in the Don Minx Rehearsal Hall in the Fine Arts building on the ASU campus. The program begins at 3:00, followed by a reception. Mrs. Minx will be interred at Jonesboro Memorial Park in a private service. Contributions to the Donald R. Minx Memorial Scholarship will be deeply appreciated and may be directed in memory of Virginia Minx to the ASU Foundation, P.O. Box 1990, State University, AR 72467.