Barbara (Gibson) Shope

SHOPE, Barbara Gibson, of Mechanicsville, was received into the loving arms of her Heavenly Father on January 24, 2023.  Also known as “Nannie”, “the one that will always be remembered as a strong-willed and outspoken woman and could find the sunshine on a cloudy day but most of all for showing her undying love for her family.” 

Born in Richmond, Virginia on May 22, 1938, the youngest child of Melvin Gibson and Alice Gibson’s two children, she is preceded in death by her parents, Alice Hawthorn, and Melvin Gibson; her grandsons, Mark Shope and Brian "Nick" Mallory; her daughter-in-law, Margaret Martin; and her son’s-in-law, James Brooks and Michael Davis.

She is survived by her devoted husband of 64 years, Edward “Bucky” L. Shope, Jr.; sons, Edward L. Shope, III (Lynn). and Timothy K. Shope (Debbie); daughters, Tammy S. Brooks, Debra S. Mallory, and Sherry S. Heinly (Jason); ten precious grandchildren, Kenny, Steven (Mary), Jared (Lisa), Kemper (Jessica), Scott, Chelsi (Ariel), Keith (Tiffany), Adam (Adrienne), Joshua, and Cole; and three great-grandchildren, Jackson, Cole, and Waylon.

Barbara grew up in Richmond’s north side and graduated from John Marshall High School, class of 1957.  She converted to Catholicism and became a devoted catholic where she chose to teach those values to her children.  She later worked at Saint Paul’s Catholic School as a gym teacher and school bus driver when power steering on buses didn’t exist.  She possessed a gift for teaching and making ceramics. She shared her talent with many folks for over 30 years.  She then became an established “yard sale” entrepreneur and cherished her findings, especially birdhouses.  Barbara was a charter member of the Mechanicsville Recreation Center and gave many hours of her time and support for her children's and grandchildren’s youth and high school activities.  In addition, she started the Mechanicsville Santa Breakfast which raised money for children with cancer.

She had a great love for flowers and loved working in her yard.  She enjoyed working as an assistant bus driver for over five years and became very fond of her special needs children. She treasured and was most proud of her 21 years of volunteer time at Bon Secours Regional Memorial Medical Center.  More importantly, she was the glue that held our family together as a wife, mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother, always sympathetic, encouraging, and providing advice from her own experiences.  She loved her family gatherings at the pool during the summer, weekend/holiday cookouts, tailgating at football and softball games, Thanksgiving, Christmas, birthdays, and any other activity where she could bring the family together.  God has taken you into his loving arms and ended your suffering … ‘til we meet again … you will be greatly missed.

The family would like to thank the caring staff at Bon Secours Hospice for compassionate care in her final weeks and days.  The family will receive friends from 3 – 7 pm, Monday, January 30, 2023, at Monaghan Funeral Home, 7300 Creighton Pkwy, Mechanicsville, Virginia 23111.  A funeral mass will be held at 10 am, Tuesday, January 31, 2023, at the Catholic Church of the Redeemer, 8275 Meadow Bridge Rd., Mechanicsville, Virginia 23116.  Interment will follow at Signal Hill Memorial Park.  A reception is planned for friends following the Interment at Monaghan Funeral Home.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made in Memory of Barbara Shope online to the Grace Christian School Capital Campaign at https://grace-school.net/expansion/support.html or sent to GCS at PO Box 215, Mechanicsville, VA 23111.

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