Venessa Mae Hall McKay
94, of Severna Park, MD, beloved wife, mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, aunt, sister and cousin, passed away peacefully from complications of
a stroke on Wednesday January 12, 2022. She was the daughter of the late Lawrence Vernon Hall Sr. and Edna Rose Hardison, Bar Harbor, Maine, where she grew up.
She was born on July 27, 1927, in Bar Harbor, ME, graduating from Bar Harbor High School, 1946. She was on the HS basketball team. After graduating she went to work at Bar Harbor Bank and Trust where she held multiple roles in administration, handling special accounts. Growing up she had many friends and enjoyed going to the beach, swimming, dances, and gardening. She especially loved spending time in Franklin, ME as a young girl visiting her mother’s family.
In 1952, she married Charles Raymond McKay of Bar Harbor, ME. After marriage she worked for DuPont Company for a short period of time. She then devoted her time to raising their four children as the family moved frequently due to her husband’s job at DuPont. They lived in Penns Grove, NJ, Claymont, DE, New Brunswick, NJ, Arlington Heights, IL, Rocky River, OH, and finally settling in Severna Park, MD in 1968. She volunteered time at her children’s school, enjoyed listening to music and dancing, cooking, baking, reading, puzzles, cribbage, home décor, style and fashion, local and international travel, hosting bridge club, and other social gatherings at their home. She worked for C. E. Stevens Packaging for a short period of time. Venessa loved her hometown of Bar Harbor, spending every family summer vacation at her family home in town and at their waterfront McKay family camp at Hadley Point. After her husband’s retirement, their
time was spent traveling between homes in Florida, Maryland, and Maine.
Her love for all her family and friends will always be remembered. Her sweet and gentle nature touched everyone she met.
She is survived by her four children: Robert Stephen McKay (Gladney) of Severna Park, MD, Janice McKay Sorich (Michael) of Burbank,
CA, Patricia McKay Praschak of Annapolis, MD, and James Edward McKay (Carrie) of Bar Harbor, ME. Nine Grandchildren: Dan, Carl, Raymond “Max”, Christina, Jamie (Devon), Stephen “Collin” (Kaley), Matthew, Melissa, Micaela. Six Great-Grandchildren: Ava, Evelyn, Stephen, James, Owen, and Trent; her sister Nancy Hall Dorsey (David), and brother Lawrence Hall Jr. (Lily); Sister-in-laws and brotherin-laws: Lawrence McKay of Kennebunkport, ME, Bernard McKay (Estelle) of Landenberg, PA, James McKay (Ruth) of Hollis Center, ME, and Marjorie McKay of West Hartford, CT; and many nieces, nephews and cousins.
She was predeceased by her husband Charles Raymond McKay (August 2018)
A Maryland Celebration of Life will be held at a later date, details forthcoming. An additional Celebration of Life and Interment will be in Bar Harbor, ME June 2022.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions can be made to:
Alzheimer’s Association of Maryland:
www.alz.org/maryland/donate National Psoriasis Foundation:
www.psoriasis.org/donate/ American Stroke Association:
www.stroke.org or National Stroke Association Online condolences may be made at
www.barrancofuneralhome.com