Aramony was the group's CEO from 1970 to 1992. He resigned after using the organization's money to fund a lavish lifestyle, including gifts for a girlfriend who was 17 when they first met.
Aramony's son, Robert Aramony, said his father died Friday in Alexandria at the son's home.
Robert Aramony said his father, a son of Lebanese immigrants, dedicated his time after his 2001 release from prison to peace-building efforts in the Middle East.
During his time at United Way, Aramony built a tangled web of disparate organizations into a philanthropic powerhouse.