By Sheila McLaughlin, Staff Writer
The Shinnston News & Harrison County Journal has named David Minor
as November Citizen of the Month, a recognition sponsored by
Dorsey Funeral Home in Shinnston – locally owned and operated.
This month, Citizen of the Month goes to a humble and
compassionate Shinnston native, David Minor. So humble
in fact, Minor never ceased to give credit to others when
speaking of his countless accomplishments.
Minor’s involvement and achievements in and for his
country and city are plenty. Now 71 and retired, for most
of his life Minor was a union sheet metal worker. Over the
years, Minor held positions on such boards as the Harrison
County Development Authority and Harrison County
Transit Authority.
A veteran, Minor said his service to his country was his
greatest achievement. He served as a naval officer, as a
photographer, from 1969 to 1973. He is also considered a
“Blue Nose,” a designation for sailors who’ve crossed into
the Artic Circle.
Currently, he holds the title of president of the local
Lion’s Club and is responsible for coordinating nearly all
their events. He’s led community projects such as
installation of the horseshoe pits in Shinnston Park, the
annual luncheon for local city workers, assistance for the
purchase of glasses for those in need, decorating the stage
on the city green space for Christmas, and the
coordination of the yearly Veterans Day Parade, to name
only a few.
Minor said his wife of 51 years, Becky Minor, “is the
heart and soul of me in the Lion’s Club. She’s with me
through all of our projects.”
Becky Minor is also a lifetime Shinnston resident. One
of six siblings, she grew up on Maple Street, graduated
from Shinnston High School and attended Fairmont State
University. She’s retired now after thirty years at Harrison
Power. Together, they have two daughters, Shannon and
Erin.
All of the Minors’ community involvements are done on
a volunteer basis.
Minor stated his late father, Wilbert Minor, was a big
part of his life. “I owe much of who I am to my father,” he
said. “I joined the Lion’s Club because of him. It was his
dying wish that I join, so I did. We’ve accomplished a lot
since then.”
During the interview, Minor was busy removing the
flags that had lined Pike Street during the Veterans Day
Parade and managed to coach a local youth on proper flag
handling as they worked.
“I love Shinnston!” he said.
His family home, where he was born and raised, is still
occupied by his mother, Delores Minor, who is 95.
“A lot of store fronts are the same as they were back
then,” he said. “I like that I can walk through town and
still see some of the same places. Some have changed
hands and been remodeled, but the outside architecture
still reminds me of when I was a kid.”
True to his roots, you can still find Minor cheering for
the Mountaineers on game day. He was a football player
in high school. As a guard on offense and lineman on
defense, he played with big names such as Alabama’s
head coach Nick Saban before graduating from Shinnston
High School in 1968. He recently celebrating a fifty-year
reunion with his classmates.
“We used to ride to a little corner store…,” he said. “My
favorite times were Saturday nights when we’d ride our
bikes to the old Murphy’s Store on the corner of Pike
Street to get candy. That was the place to be.”
Even in a small country town, there are some
undoubtably illustrious folks. Thank you, David and
Becky Minor for all the love, compassion, hard work and
growth you’ve brought to the City of Shinnston and the
lives you’ve touched over the years and those yet to come.
