Thomas Clark Aylard 3/30/1963 - 2/3/2023

Thomas Clark Aylard passed away in the early morning hours of Friday, February 3, 2023. He was 59 years old. Tom was born on March 30, 1963, to John and Lorna Aylard in Walnut Creek, California, and lived in Martinez, California, throughout his childhood. He graduated from Berean Christian High School in 1981 and earned his bachelor's degree in Accounting from Azusa Pacific University in Azusa, California, in 1985. After graduating from college, Tom moved to Concord, California, where he was employed by Chevron as an accountant. On May 25, 1992, he married Kay Lynn House in Pleasant Hill, California. In 1996, they adopted their son Christopher (who was born in 1995), and gave birth to daughters Kelsey in 1996 and Stephanie in 2002. In 2004 and in 2006, Tom and Kay Lynn and their children went on exploratory trips to Eden Children's Village, an orphanage in Doma, Zimbabwe. In 2008 the family moved to Narok, Kenya, to participate in full-time ministry there, and in 2009, Tom resigned his position at Chevron in order to focus on accounting activities for overseas ministries. In 2010, they returned to Concord for five years where they served with El Puente, a ministry to Latin American families, and Tom began serving remotely as CFO of Eden Children's Village, a position he held for eleven years. In 2015 they returned to Africa, spending nine months at Eden, and several years at Children's Nest in Choma, Zambia, where they remained through December 2021. They returned to the United States in January 2022 when Tom was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer, and moved to Auburn, California, to be near family during his medical treatment. They attended Auburn Grace Community Church during that time. Tom was surrounded by family members as he passed from death into eternal life. He is survived by his wife, Kay Lynn, and his three children, Chris (Noelle), Kelsey, and Stephanie; his mother, Lorna; his sister, Patricia (Tony) Piazza; and his brother, James (Beth). He is preceded in death by his father, John. A private burial service was held at New Auburn cemetery on Friday, February 24, to be followed by a Memorial Service at 9:30 AM on Saturday, February 25, at Auburn Grace Community Church.