Robert Carlton McGee Jr.

Robert Carlton McGee Jr.

Robert Carlton McGee Jr., of Richmond, gave up the good fight Wednesday, July 21, 2010, at the age of 74.

He was born in Richmond on May 24, 1936, son of the late Robert Carlton McGee Sr. and Regina Katherine O'Sullivan McGee. Bob attended the University of Virginia on a baseball scholarship and received his Bachelor's Degree in Aeronautical Engineering in 1960. He was a member of Sigma Alpha Epsilon Fraternity, serving as its President for two years, and collected a cadre of fraternity stories that can only be believed by his band of his Sigma Alpha Epsilon.

Bob liked to say that he was "an engineer by education; a peddler by inclination and a financier by necessity." Truly a brilliant and entrepreneurial mind, Bob joined Sikorsky Aircraft as a Sales Engineer in the fledgling helicopter industry following a brief stint in the United States Army, where he received the Army Commendation Medal. He founded Southeastern 1st Financial Services, Incorporated to provide financial assistance to emerging small businesses.

Bob's life was full of diversity and accomplishment. He was happiest as the "leader of the pack" in every endeavor and he commanded a room when he walked in, he was a creator of the Virginia Small Business Finance Authority, served two Virginia governors in a small business advisory capacity and was appointed to the first Board of Directors of the Center for Innovative Technology.

He is a graduate of Leadership Metro Richmond and he served as Board Chairman for Wintergreen Partners Incorporated for a number of years and was a member of the University of Virginia Athletic Foundation Board of Trustees.

He loved sports of all kinds and shared this love with youth of all ages by coaching youth football, basketball and baseball. He also coached the Trinity Episcopal High School girls' volleyball team for two years and assisted the TES softball team as a hitting coach. He was an ardent follower of University of Virginia sports with a special commitment to University of Virginia Baseball. His competitive nature drove his life both on and off the playing field.

Bob is survived by his wife and best friend of 20 years, Mary Darden McGee; his only sibling, Katherine M. Ford and her husband, Al, and by his proudest accomplishment; his five children, Marjorie M. Caplice and her husband, John, Robert Matthew McGee and his wife, Carol, Katherine M. Will and her husband, Jerry, Lauren M. Boykin and her husband, Kris, and Meagan D. McGee, all of Richmond; five grandchildren, Robert "Bo" J. McGee, Jacob "Jake" R. McGee, Alexis "Lexie" P. Will, Tyler M. Will and Parker A. Snow; and numerous nieces and nephews who will dearly miss Uncle Bob.

There will be a private family graveside service at Mount Calvary Cemetery Saturday, July 24, 2010.

A memorial service and reception celebrating Bob's full and colorful life will be 3 p.m. Saturday, July 24, 2010, at Tuckahoe Presbyterian Church, 7000 Park Avenue, Richmond.

In Bob's memory donations should be made to the Virginia Athletics Foundation, Friends of Virginia Baseball, P.O. Box 400833, Charlottesville, VA 22904 or to Tuckahoe Presbyterian Church, 7000 Park Avenue, Richmond, VA 23226.

The family would like to thank the medical and nursing staffs of MCV Hospital's 11 West and the rehabilitation team on 1 North for their loving, compassionate care and their hard-driving motivation.


This obituary was originally published in the Daily Progress.