David A. "Sandy" Macdonald Sr.

David A. "Sandy" Macdonald, Sr., husband of Betty (Walter) Macdonald, passed away peacefully on December 3, 2024, at the age of 86, in State College, PA. He was born on October 2, 1938 in Orange, NJ, to the late Jack and Anne (Day) Macdonald. In addition to his wife Betty, Sandy is survived by his brother Bruce Macdonald, husband of Dorothy Macdonald, of Seven Lakes, NC; brother John Macdonald, whose wife Jackie Macdonald recently passed away, of Bremerton WA; son David Macdonald, husband of Nancy Roberts, of Brooklyn, NY; daughter Beth (Macdonald) Hunter, wife of Glenn Hunter, of State College; granddaughters Alexandra Macdonald, Rebecca Macdonald and Jessie Hunter; and numerous nieces and nephews.
Sandy's professional life was one of service and dedication to the well-being of others. He received a B.A. in psychology and a Master of Divinity from Drew University, followed by a PhD in clinical psychology from the University of Florida. He was a psychologist at Penn State University's Division of Counseling from 1968 to 1974. In 1971, he opened his own part-time psychotherapy private practice. He left Penn State in 1974 to enter private practice full-time and co-founded Psychological Associates. Sandy provided compassionate mental health services until his retirement in 2013.
Sandy grew up in South Orange, NJ, where he met Betty, the love of his life, while attending Columbia High School and participating in the youth fellowship at South Orange Methodist Church. They married after college and moved to Gainesville, FL so Sandy could attend University of Florida. After Sandy graduated from Florida in 1968, he and Betty moved to State College, PA. While working at Penn State, Sandy befriended a group of co-workers who had children close in age to David and Beth, and who he and Betty came to consider their State College "family." Sandy and Betty have enjoyed innumerable meals, parties, and celebrations, and shared their joys and sorrows with their dear friends in the "State College Family" over the past 56 years.
Sandy was also close with his brothers, their families and extended family. He and Betty have been the center of large family Thanksgivings and other family get-togethers, and he officiated at the wedding of a niece and at the weddings of a couple of grand nieces.
A lover of photography, Sandy captured the beauty of the world through his lens. He had a passion for anything to do with cars and kept a 1947 Studebaker pickup truck running for many years. He enjoyed traveling with Betty, exploring much of the West Coast from Seattle to Mexico's Baja Peninsula, sunning in Caribbean islands, and touring in Spain and Germany. Summers were often spent vacationing in Spruce Head, ME, where Sandy enjoyed puttering around the nearby islands in his small outboard motor boat.
Gentle, kind, and loving-these words encapsulate the essence of Sandy. His gentle nature was a comfort to those in distress, his kindness extended to friends and neighbors, including his newest friends in the Greystone Village townhouses, where Sandy lived the last several years of his life. Sandy's commitment to his wife and family has been an inspiration to his children and grandchildren. His legacy is one of compassion, empathy, and an unwavering commitment to enriching the lives of others.
A private celebration of life will be held.
In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to Centre Volunteers in Medicine (cvim.net) or Jana Marie Foundation (janamariefoundation.org).