Karen A Gloyd

Karen A. (Lochiatto) Gloyd, 78, of Natick, MA passed away on Tuesday, March 17, 2026, at Care Dimensions Hospice House in Lincoln, MA.  Surrounded by love, she faced her final days with the same courage and resilience that defined her life and recovery from a stroke on New Year’s Eve 2024.

Born April 19, 1947, in Newton, MA, to the late George R. and Pearl A. (Alfsen) Lochiatto, she leaves behind a legacy of love.  Her memory will be cherished by her former husband Samuel J. Gloyd; her children Canon B. (Sarah Perkins) Gloyd; Chelsea L. (Scott) Peoples and Caleb M. Gloyd; and her beloved grandsons Samuel F. and Benjamin M. Peoples.  She is survived by her siblings James M. (Anna) Lochiatto, Karla A. Svartstrom, and Audrey Lochiatto, along with many dear nieces, nephews, grandnieces and grandnephews.  She was predeceased by brothers Paul A. and George R. Lochiatto.

Karen was a woman of action whose energy, curiosity, and love of learning shaped every part of her life. She thrived on work and the satisfaction of understanding how things functioned, always preferring a project over idleness. At the end of a productive day, her reward was simple: a glass of wine and a PBS drama.

Karen had an instinctive understanding of tools and an eye for potential in overlooked objects.  She restored lamps, chairs, and countless other treasures, even learning caning and upholstery to expand her repertoire. After retiring from her teaching career, she turned her lifelong handiness into a small business she called Consider Her Handy. Her attention to detail, intelligence, and natural curiosity made her craft both meticulous and joyful.

Karen never shied away from getting her hands dirty and embraced every opportunity to make the most of what nature offered. She dug clams, sifted stones from soil, mixed compost by hand, collected rainwater, and once even skinned and tanned a piece of roadkill for a science project—each task taken on with her signature curiosity and can‑do spirit.  She saw the world through a lens shaped by inquiry and wonder—finding beauty not only in sunsets but in the refracted particles of light that created them.

Karen’s love for the outdoors was most evident in her gardens, where she cared for flowers, berries, and vegetables with wholehearted devotion, working from sunup to sundown and at times becoming so immersed she forgot to eat.  She delighted in bargains—discounted soil, fertilizer, marked‑down bulbs—and she shared her plants and harvest freely with family, friends, and neighbors.

Some of her happiest moments were spent outside with the people she loved in the places that mattered most to her: Boone Lake and North Kingstown in Rhode Island, “The Lake” in Wareham, Lakeland in Florida, and Friendship Island in Maine, where she occasionally allowed herself the rare joy of simply relaxing and floating on the water.  

Always eager to try new recipes yet loyal to her trusted favorites, Karen was a skilled and faithful recipe‑follower who brought the fruits of her garden and foraging into her kitchen.  Everyone looked forward to her seasonal dishes: daffodil cake in spring, blueberry‑peach pie in late summer, apple pies in the fall, and crepes with an array of fillings for Christmas mornings and birthdays – where the honored guest always received the cherished red plate. She loved entertaining but was just as content with a simple meal if it meant more time for a project.

Karen approached life with a unique blend of practicality and flair, a combination that shone especially in the Halloween costumes she dreamed up with such joy.  She was stylish and built an impressive wardrobe, shoe collection, and jewelry selection-always prepared for any occasion. Eventually she recognized, with humor, that her talent for finding treasures had “buried her in treasure,” which led her to take a workshop inspired by the book of the same name.

Warm, open, and unfazed by status or background, Karen connected effortlessly with everyone she met. She was generous with her time and skills and a steady presence for her family—the one who held them together through challenges with grace, adaptability, and unwavering love.  That love was especially evident when she and her sister cared for their dying brother, a time when her strength and compassion shone most clearly.   Her Christian upbringing and 40 years with Al‑Anon deeply shaped her capacity for empathy, resilience, and understanding and informed her steady, thoughtful approach to life, giving her tools that enriched both her own growth and the support she offered others.

She especially cherished time with her family during the holidays, decorating with joyful enthusiasm and making food with care. Time with family and friends often included games, with Scrabble at the center of her delight. She mastered every two‑letter word, often used all seven tiles for that satisfying fifty‑point bonus, and even resorted to playing solo with a 2nd rack when no challenger was available. Karen relished any game that required skill, and her competitive spirit carried naturally into the sports she enjoyed throughout her life—softball, tennis, bowling, curling, and pickleball.

Karen brought this same spirit—curiosity, playfulness, resourcefulness, and wholehearted love—into her role as a grandmother. She shared her passions openly, inviting her grandsons into her world of projects, gardens, and games. Her hands‑on approach to life became a foundation for their own sense of wonder, confidence, and joy. In every moment with them, she offered not just her time, but the truest parts of herself.

What defined Karen most was the love she gave so freely and the way she made people feel—seen, supported, and cherished.  She approached the world with an open heart and a spirit of generosity that left lasting imprints on everyone lucky enough to know her. Her curiosity, her humor, her steady presence, and her fierce dedication to those she loved created a sense of home that lives on in her family and friends. Karen’s hands built, repaired, planted, and created, but it was her heart that truly shaped the world around her. Though she is no longer with us, the beauty she brought into our lives—through kindness, creativity, and unwavering love—will continue to guide us. She will be remembered with profound gratitude and missed beyond measure.

Visiting Hours at the John Everett & Sons Funeral Home, 4 Park St., NATICK COMMON, on Sunday, March 29, 2026, from 2:00 pm – 5:00 pm. Relatives and friends are respectfully invited to attend. Interment will be private. For full obituary, online guestbook and directions, please visit: www.everettfuneral.com

A celebration of life will be held in mid-April, date and location to be determined.  Karen’s Caring Bridge page will be updated with details: Karen's Caring Bridge Page

In lieu of flowers, donations in Karen Gloyd's memory can be made to WGBH or Care Dimensions Hospice at:

WGBH Educational Foundation, Attention: GBH Office of Gift Planning and Endowment, One Guest Street, Boston Massachusetts, 02135 or via the GBH website: Donate | WGBH

Care Dimensions: Donate | Care Dimensions

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