Shobe, Julian "Shorty" McBee, 93, of Mechanicsville, died peacefully at his home and went to be with his Savior, Jesus Christ our Lord, on September 22, 2018. Julian was born in Richmond, VA on August 29, 1925, the youngest of three boys, to the late Walter Gordon Shobe, Sr. and Hester Lucille Kane Shobe. He grew up on Church Hill and attended St. Patrick Catholic School where he made lifelong friends. He met the love of his life, Kitty, when she was 17 and he was 21, having just returned from his service during WWII. They met when she walked into a small neighborhood store on Church Hill and he told her, “One day I’m going to marry you,” and she was in his life forever from that point forward. Julian served his country as a Marine Corporal in the U.S. 5th Marine Division, 26th Regiment, 1st Battalion, C Company, and he bravely fought on Iwo Jima in February 1946, witnessing the victorious American Flag being raised on Mt. Suribachi. After the Marines conquered Iwo Jima, Julian was one of only six in his company of 240 men who came home physically unharmed. He spoke very little about that time and had no use for fireworks….saying he had seen enough fireworks for a lifetime. After the War, Julian became a Union bricklayer in Richmond Local #1 working for more than 50 years as a master craftsman at his beloved bricklaying art. He also loved his river home at South Hill Banks on the Rappahannock River and all the fellowship with neighbors there. But most of all, his number one love and devotion was for Kitty, along with his children and family, being a loving and devoted son, brother, father, grandfather, great-grandfather and friend. He never met a stranger and everyone who met him loved him with his gentle, positive, easy-going manner, never gossiping and never ever complaining about anything whatsoever. Julian was a keen listener with a very quick wit, an artist and upon retiring he journaled daily for more than 20 years. Julian was preceded in death on January 7, 2010 by his dear wife of 62 years, Cathleen “Kitty” Matthews Shobe; his granddaughter, Ann Marie Shobe; and his two brothers, Walter Gordon Shobe, Jr. and Thomas Henry Shobe. He is survived by his son, Danny Shobe (Dianna) of Center Cross; daughter, Sue Shobe Zimmerman (Keith) of Goochland; and son, Patrick Shobe (Linda) of Aylett; eight grandchildren, Matthew Shobe, Jessica Zimmerman, Keith Zimmerman Jr. (currently serving in Afghanistan), Tiffany Shobe, Ryan Shobe, Amanda Mackintosh, Crystal Cavedo, William Cavedo, Jr. and their children; three great-granddaughters, Alonna, Hailey and Abigail; and several nieces and nephews. The family will receive friends from 2 to 4 and 6 to 8 pm on September 26 at Nelsen Funeral Home, 4650 S. Laburnum Ave., Richmond, VA 23231. The funeral will be held at 1 pm on September 27 at Sandston Baptist Church, 100 W. Williamsburg Rd., Sandston, VA 23150. Interment will follow at Washington Memorial Park, 6217 Memorial Dr., Sandston, VA 23150. Memorial contributions may be made to the National Museum of the Marine Corps in Quantico, VA.
