Karen Ann Aylward

She was preceded in death by her parents, Joseph and Margaret Lorinchack.

She is survived by her husband of 48 years, Arthur Aylward, her children Kimberly Aylward, Jennifer Meharg (Jarrett Meharg), Jessica Vellucci (Matthew Vellucci) and Christopher Aylward (Stephanie Aylward), as well as her nine grandchildren: Wyatt, Rhett, Holt, Carter, Colin, Savannah, Brooke, Charlotte and Audrey.

Karen grew up in Northford, Connecticut and graduated from Quinnipiac University in 1977 with a Bachelor’s degree in Health Services Administration. Following graduation she married her husband Art who had recently graduated from West Point and entered the Army. Her early career was marked by frequent military relocations. One such assignment took her to Notre Dame where she took a position at the Notre Dame Federal Credit Union and initiated their first credit card program. Once settled in Midlothian, she took a program manager job with the State of Virginia running a small business loan program focusing on daycare providers. After her time with the state she moved to the Economic Development Department at Chesterfield County where she spent more than 20 years supporting businesses and improving quality of life for the county in which she happily raised her family. When she wasn’t busy with her career, you could find her supporting her four children playing various sports or pursuing other endeavors, a hobby she continued later on as a doting grandmother. She enjoyed spending time in her beachfront condo in Garden City, SC and at her river house in Deltaville.

The family will receive friends starting at 5pm on Thursday, July 17th at Woody’s Funeral Home (Huguenot) and there will be a funeral service at 1pm on Friday, July 18th at St. Edward’s Catholic Church.

The family would like to thank extended family, friends, and neighbors that have provided so much support and love during this time. They are also immensely grateful for the excellent and compassionate care received from VCU, The National Institute of Health and The Laurels at Bon Air.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital, a charity Karen supported for many years.