With great sorrow, we announce that Virginia S. Goodman of Richmond, Virginia, died on December 21, 2022.
Jinny spent her formative years in North Carolina. She was born in 1931 in High Point, embraced her family’s past in Mt. Gilead, graduated from Duke University in 1953 with a bachelor’s in chemistry and education, and began her teaching career at Yanceyville High School immediately thereafter.
Most of her professional life was spent in and around education, and, more specifically, private schools in the South. She taught science at nine different schools as she followed the career of Bob Goodman, her husband of 63 years. After teaching, she continued her involvement with schools and educators at Southern Teachers Agency from 1982 to 1999, becoming a highly respected counselor to many teachers, as well as president of Southern Teachers and the National Association of Teachers’ Agencies.
Her true passions, though, were music, painting watercolors, the Blue Devils, and her family.
Her journey with stringed instruments started small (violin in 4th grade), and grew through the viola to the double bass in high school, ultimately earning her a music scholarship to Duke. She delighted in playing with orchestras in many cities, and ended her musical expedition as president of the Richmond Philharmonic.
Amidst the full walls of art that adorn the Richmond house where she lived for the last 50 years, the real prizes are the pieces that Jinny herself created. Visions of family landmarks of the past, vacation delights, and her inspired Christmas card artwork that she colorfully rendered on paper are amongst the most treasured keepsakes for her descendants.
Her devotion to the Duke Blue Devils, while ardent, proved not to be contagious to all her family members.
Jinny was predeceased by her parents, Ralph and Fannie Mae Saunders, and her husband, Robert C. Goodman, Jr.
She is survived by her sister, Gwen Owens of High Point; three children—Swannee Ericson, Carey Goodman, and Alice Brown; along with five grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.
Jinny will be interred next to Bob at Westhampton Memorial & Cremation Park in Richmond with a service on Wednesday, December 28, at noon.
In lieu of flowers, please consider making a donation to the Richmond Philharmonic at RichmondPhilharmonic.org.
