Karen Spahn

On September 29, 2025, Karen Spahn (83) of Reston, Virginia, lost her long and predictably courageous fight against Parkinson's disease.

Karen was born on November 17, 1941, in Berea, Kentucky. Because her career Air Force pilot father Sidney Richardson flew in three wars and was frequently transferred, Karen moved over 10 times (attending 3 different high schools) while growing up, along with her sisters Myra (Bob) Brown who now resides in Murrells Inlet, South Carolina, and her sister Sheila, who predeceased Karen. Their Mom Jane necessarily handled all the moves among everything else, providing a great role model of a strong independent woman.

Karen was thrilled to spend four years in the same place while attending Baldwin - Wallace College. She then moved to Connecticut, where she taught second, third and fifth grade with her college classmate and lifelong friend Marilyn Marvel.

Karen and her first husband Terrence Dillon raised two great sons: Denver - based Corey (Kim), whose daughter Maddie is engaged to Emma Feeney, and whose daughter Rivena sadly predeceased Karen; and Missoula - based Greg (Carrie), whose daughters Liana and Phoebe are both gifted dancers and artists.

Wisely realizing that her elementary school teaching experience provided the necessary skills to deal with lawyers, in 1984 Karen started working part time and then full time at the Fairfax, Virginia, law firm of Boothe, Pritchard & Dudley. She became that firm's beloved receptionist, den mother, and everyone's favorite person.
In 1987, that firm merged with McGuireWoods, where her reputation spread even more widely. Everyone became her fan and her friend, including her long - time colleague Marilyn Ferry. Ever since then, and even now, McGuireWoods lawyers, alumni and clients have noted that their favorable impression of the firm was instantaneously formed by Tysons office receptionist Karen's warm greeting, helpfulness, and even her gentle irreverent needling of stuffed shirts. She was the first McGuireWoods person many met, and she perfectly personified the law firm's cherished culture.

After both of them found themselves single, Karen's long friendship with McGuireWoods partner Tom Spahn gradually turned to love. As they began dating, several McGuireWoods lawyers told Tom that if he broke Karen's heart, they would have him killed. In 2002, Tom surprised Karen by proposing to her at the top of the Eiffel Tower. Continuing that romantic theme, they were married the next year at the Paris Hotel in Las Vegas.

Karen became a loving stepmom to Tom's California –based son Tom (Claire) and children Will and Elise, as well as his Charlotte - based daughter Julie (Randy) Miller and son Nate.

In their 24 magical years together, Tom successfully pretended to be interested in all the sports Karen loved to watch on TV (thankful that the list didn't include soccer). And Karen indulged Tom's love of travel. They visited all 50 states (staying in nearly every historic National Park lodge) and America's 50 largest cities, saw 43 countries (including 16 trips to Europe), took a dozen cruises to six continents, enjoyed two round – the - world trips, and patriotically watched July 4th fireworks in twenty all - American spots, from New York to Seattle, St Louis to DC, Niagara Falls to Mt Rushmore, Galveston to Gettysburg, Cooperstown to Grand Coulee Dam.

Karen excelled at everything she did – mothering, modeling, quilting, jigsaw puzzles, home decorating, crafts, gardening, golf, entertaining, volunteering, walking (usually 3 miles a day, hand -in -hand with Tom on weekends), and especially making friends. She personified timeless beauty, understated elegance, boundless kindness, and ultimate class.

Karen asked for a celebration of life at which friends and former colleagues will be able to gather, and suggested that anyone choosing to memorialize her contribute to a worthy cause of their choice.