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Jinx Schall died peacefully in her apartment at Emeritus Assisted Living in Woodbridge, VA on May 4, 2012. She was 92 years old. Jinx was a longtime resident in the Oakmont community of Santa Rosa, CA, from 1982 until 2006. She was probably best known as the founder of the group "Fun, Food, and Friendship," a monthly pot-luck dinner centered on ever-changing decorative themes ranging from Halloween to 49ers football. Characteristically, participation in the monthly dinners was open to all on a first-come-first-serve basis. She was also an avid and accomplished bridge player, as well as an active participant in the Lawn Bowling Club at Oakmont. Jinx was born in Bethlehem, PA into a large Irish family, earned a scholarship to attend West Chester University, and graduated in 1942. During World War II, she served in the American Red Cross in the Pacific Theater, following MacArthur's army from Australia to New Guinea to the Philippines. Her job with the Red Cross was to establish, staff, and manage service clubs for soldiers, Marines, and sailors who were coming off of the front lines. These clubs ranged from large facilities in cities such as Sydney and Manila to Quonset and thatched-roofed huts in out-of-the-way places such as Milne Bay, Papua New Guinea and Tacloban, the Philippines. She also helped organize some shows for the troops, which gave her the chance to meet Hollywood legends such as Bob Hope, Les Andeerson, and Jack Benny. She married Josef Schall in 1946 after returning home from the Pacific. Josef, a successful engineer and businessman, helped open Romania to foreign investment in the 1960's while working for the Houdry/Sunoco Company and worked on coal gasification for the Bechtel Company. Jinx was a homemaker and substitute school teacher. Jinx and Josef lived in Pennsylvania, Connecticut, Texas, California and England. After Josef's death in 1982, Jinx settled in Oakmont. Virginia "Jinx" Schall is survived by her son William Schall, daughter-in-law Melissa, grandsons Daniel and Kevin, and sister Frances Arthofer. Services were held in Woodbridge, VA on Tuesday, May 8, 2012. Donations to the American Red Cross would be a fitting tribute to Jinx.
Published in the Press Democrat from May 9 to May 10, 2012
