Martha (Van de Walle) McKay, of Transfer, formerly a longtime resident of Hermitage, passed away on Tuesday, December 18, 2018.  She was 89.

Mrs. McKay was born April 5, 1929, in Rochester, NY, a daughter of the late W. Edwin and Mildred (Smeed) Van de Walle.

A 1946 graduate of Monroe High School, Rochester, NY, she earned her Bachelor of Science degree from Allegheny College, Meadville, Pa., in 1950 and was a member of the Kappa Alpha Theta sorority. Mrs. McKay was a field instructor for the ornithology class at the college in 1974.

Marty, as she was known, worked in the chemotherapy department of the hospital of the University of Pennsylvania conducting assay tests on new antibiotics.

An avid birder, she participated in Christmas Bird Counts, Breeding Bird Surveys, and contributed data to Pennsylvania's first Breeding Bird Atlas.  She was Mercer County compiler for PA Birds for 22 years.

She and her husband traveled extensively throughout the Caribbean and the Northwest.

Marty liked gardening, reading, knitting, crossword puzzles, classical music, especially that of Beethoven and Mozart-after which one of her St. Bernards was named!

She is survived by a daughter, Jean Campbell and her husband Rick; a son, Thomas R. McKay and his wife Candi; four grandchildren, Justin Kaszonyi and his wife Lauren; Jordan Fahr and her husband Erich; Thomas J. McKay and his wife Angela; and Kendall McKay and her wife Melanie; and four great grandsons, Jackson, Owen, Landon and Chase.

Besides her parents, Marty was preceded in death by her husband of 63 years, Attorney Donald R. McKay, who passed away March 11, 2013; and a sister, Phyllis Mailman.

The family suggests memorial contributions be directed to the Salvation Army, 660 Fisher Hill St., Sharon, PA 16146; or the Audubon Society of W. PA, 614 Dorseyville Rd., Pittsburgh, PA 15238 ( www.ASWP.org ).

There are no calling hours.  A private family gathering will be held.

Arrangements by J. Bradley McGonigle Funeral Home and Crematory, Inc., 1090 E. State St., Sharon.