William Martin "Marty" Mccabe

William Martin "Marty" McCabe died in early May at his home in Seattle, WA, of heart disease. He was born in Lily, PA, in 1948, grew up in Chester, PA, attending Chester High School, graduating in the class of 1966, and attended college in Philadelphia at Drexel University, where he achieved a bachelor's, ('71) master of science ('73), and PhD ('79) in engineering.

His college co-op placements with the bridge division of the Philadelphia Department of Streets and the Redevelopment Authority set him on the road to civil engineering. He had a long and satisfying career in geotechnical engineering that involved projects from bridges to airports, from nuclear waste facilities to the Laser Interferometer Gravitational Observatory.

A long-time soccer player and runner, McCabe loved the outdoors. He enjoyed canoeing and fishing, even the time he and his companions failed to note a "portage" sign and went over a waterfall.  He was an avid backpacker, although he could be persnickety about his campsites, driving his trip mates insane. His ski trips with old friends, often to Europe, were sources of great memories for him, especially the one that involved being airlifted off an Alp after taking a hard fall, only to go paragliding the next day.

Marty was known for his sense of humor, including creating elaborate treasure hunts for his sister's son and daughter to solve before they could get their Christmas presents. His Halloween costumes were legendary, including roadkill and RoboElvis.

He played the piano his entire life, and in later years took up oil painting.

His commitment to community service started early, as president of the Chester High Student Council. He went on to become president of the Drexel Interfraternity Council as a member of Tau Kappa Epsilon, coordinated the yearly United Way fund drives in his workplaces in Seattle, and volunteered for a Seattle crisis clinic, among other organizations.

He leaves siblings Michael McCabe, Mary Joyce, and Marilyn McCabe, nieces Amanda Joyce and Emily McCarthy, and nephew Michael Joyce and their families, as well as colleagues and friends across the country, especially his old Chester High School and Drexel friends back in the Philadelphia area.

His laughter, quirky humor, and kindness will be missed, and Marty stories will be told for many years to come.