AYLWARD (Nee HELPARD), Catherine Ann

Passed peacefully away surrounded by her loving family in St. John’s in the early morning hours of Wednesday, May 25th, 2022, Catherine Ann Aylward, age 88.

She leaves to mourn her brother Lynn Helpard (Patricia) of Orono, ON, her sister Elsbeth Yada (Shane, deceased) of Victoria BC, her children Geoffrey (Elaine), Gillian (Mark), Bruce (Elisabetta), Bradley (Gemma), Christopher (Suzanne) and Alison (Christen), as well as her twelve cherished grandchildren: Stephen (Aria), Erin, and Meaghan Aylward, Lauren, Kristian, and Bethany Staffordsmith, Niccoló Aylward, Claire and Paul Andrew Aylward, Neria and Fintan Aylward, and Sophia Audet, as well as an extended family of nephews and nieces, and many friends and colleagues.

Ann is predeceased by her beloved husband Fintan Joseph Aylward (June, 2021), her parents, Ray and Ethel Helpard of Halifax, and her sister Colleen Abdullah (Lokman) of Mahone Bay, NS.

Born in Halifax, Ann attended The Convent of the Sacred Heart Junior College and Dalhousie University. She began her teaching career at St. Mary’s School in Halifax and St. Patrick’s in St. John’s. She left teaching to raise her six children, whom she encouraged to strive in all their academic, cultural, and athletic pursuits. After raising her family, she returned to university to do her Masters of Ed. Psych at Memorial University. Her thesis “A Study of Factors Influencing Female Non-traditional Career Choice in Newfoundland and Labrador” launched her second career as a counsellor. Committed to helping students reach their full potential, Ann’s time at St. Kevin’s Junior High in the Goulds marked some of the happiest years of her professional life. Among her many contributions to the community, Ann co-founded Elizabeth House and the Pregnancy Distress service to help single mothers in need. She was also a founding member of the Catholic Women’s League at her parish of St. Pius X.

Ann met Fintan, the love of her life, when he stopped across from her in the last circle dance of an evening at Dalhousie. Together they travelled extensively, visiting their children in Europe, Africa, and the US, as well as to China and the Middle East. Ann was an avid pianist and never happier than when the family was gathered around her piano for a singsong at Christmastime. She loved flowers, birds, literature, conversation and classical music. But most of all she loved her family, and she was deeply moved by her many children and grandchildren who reached out from near and far to bid her farewell.

The funeral for Catherine Ann Aylward will be held at St. Pius X Catholic Church on Saturday, May 28th, 2022 at 11:00 am.

The service will be livestreamed. To attend virtually, please follow the link: https://tom0349. wixsite.com/streamingservices/cauls.

Visitation will take place on Friday, May 27th from 2-5pm and 7-9 pm at Caul’s Funeral Home, 84 Lemarchant Road, St. John’s. In lieu of flowers, donations in her memory can be made to World Vision Canada at 1-866-595-5550 or Fighting Blindness Canada: https://fightingblindness.donorportal.ca. To view the online memorial guestbook or leave a message of condolence, please visit www.cauls.ca.

Your life was a blessing Your memory a treasure, You are loved beyond words And missed beyond measure…