84, of Sherbrooke, Guysborough County, N.S., died peacefully Saturday, August 18, 2012 at St. Mary’s Memorial Hospital with her family by her side.
Born 1928 in Boston, Massachusetts, to Ingham Wright Palmer and Aleah Maude (Henderson) Palmer, Aleah grew up in Summerside and Charlottetown, P.E.I. She graduated in 1945 from Summerside High School, and continued her education at the University of King’s College in Halifax, where she earned a BA in History and Political Science and met her future husband, fellow History student, Alton A. (Al) Lomas (1927-2000). While Al finished his MA, Aleah worked in the accounts office with Canada Packers in Halifax.
Aleah and Al were married in Charlottetown, P.E.I., in 1949, and lived in Halifax and Windsor, N.S., until 1954, when Al’s career in the Canadian Diplomatic Service began. Aleah became the consummate diplomatic wife, proudly representing Canada in Detroit, Mexico, Brussels, and New York City. Returning to Ottawa in 1966, she became fully engaged in her lifelong devotion to civic and community affairs, which she continued when Al returned to Halifax in 1973. When, in 1979, Al was posted to Beijing, PRC as Minister (Economic/Commercial) in the Canadian Embassy, Aleah gracefully resumed her role as a diplomatic wife and partner.
Al retired to Sherbrooke in 1983. Thereafter Aleah worked as Librarian and Storytime leader at the Sherbrooke Library until her own retirement.
Al and Aleah celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary in 1999. After Al died in 2000, Aleah married Murray Anderson of Sherbrooke in February of 2005, and lived happily in Nova Scotia for the remainder of her life.
Aleah served her community as past Chair of the Sherbrooke Village Commission, a Director of the St. Mary’s River Association, a staunch supporter (Secretary and President) of the St. Mary’s Liberal Association, member of Heritage Canada, Heritage Nova Scotia and the St. Mary’s Historical Society, for which she was recognized in 2004 with the Sir John Coape Sherbrooke Heritage Award. Over the years she served as member and Past Secretary of the Royal Canadian Legion (Branch 56, Sherbrooke), Vice-Chair of the Heritage Goldenville Society, People’s Warden of St. James’ Anglican Church, and Guysborough District Director of the Women’s Institute of Nova Scotia. Her stories were regularly heard across the province in her role as the long time Party Liner and Community Contact for CBC Nova Scotia’s Information Morning.
Aleah was a fiercely proud Canadian dedicated to community and honoured to help represent Canada at home and abroad. Her devotion to education, literacy and the preservation of Canadian history and heritage were unparalleled, and our community is much the poorer for her loss.
Aleah is now survived by her loving husband, A. Murray Anderson, Sherbrooke; her son, Alton A. (Andy) of San Francisco and his companion and friend Jennifer Downey of Cleveland, OH; her son-in-law, Malcolm MacKenzie, Sherbrooke; grandchildren Adam, Sydney; Mary (Jamie Lukeman), Antigonish; Amelia (Morgan Smith), Sherbrooke; Tony, Ottawa; Sara Lomas-Robillard (Eric), Montreal; great-granddaughter Laurie-Claude “Poppy” Lomas-Robillard, Montreal; brother, Harold Lloyd Palmer (Marion), Rice Point, P.E.I.; and many nieces, nephews and friends. She is also survived by her second family, step-children Sandy (Toosje Van Huizen), Masstown; Jamie, Sherbrooke; Suzanne, Vancouver and by step-grandchildren John (Rachel), Truro; Andrew (Crystal), Cold Lake; Emma (Sheldon), Charlottetown; Eugene, Truro; Reid, Sherbrooke; and step-great-grandchildren Ian and Katie, Cold Lake.
Aleah was predeceased by her first husband, Alton (Al) Lomas, and by her daughter Christy Ann (Lomas) MacKenzie, and by Murray’s son Major Ian Anderson.
Visitation will be held Wednesday from 2-4 and 7-9 p.m. at G.W. Giffin Funeral Home, St. Mary’s Chapel, 34 Main Street, Sherbrooke, N.S. A Legion service will be held 7 p.m. Wednesday in the funeral home, all members are asked to attend. Funeral service will be held Thursday at 2 p.m. from St. James Anglican Church, Sherbrooke, with Rev. David Curry officiating, interment to follow in St. James Anglican Cemetery. Cremation has taken place.
Family and friends are invited to attend a reception at the Sherbrooke Village Exhibit Centre following the service.
The family kindly requests that, in lieu of flowers, donations be made to St. James Anglican Church, St. Mary’s Memorial Hospital Foundation or a charity of choice.
Funeral arrangements are under the dignified and compassionate care of the G.W. Giffin Funeral Home, St. Mary’s Chapel, 34 Main Street, Sherbrooke, N.S.
Online condolences may be made at www.gwgiffin.com.

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