Minkler passed away on 11 October (15) of respiratory failure in Oregon.

He began his career as a musician and toured with Nat King Cole, before heading to California to work in Hollywood in the 1960s. He went on to work on several films including Urban Cowboy, Rocky II and Hair.

In 1978, he won an Academy Award for Best Sound for Star Wars and was nominated again in 1982 for Tron.