GREENSBORO, N.C. – Anita Albert Lomax, 62, died peacefully Friday, May 20, 2011, at Beacon Place, after a long and courageous battle against cancer. Anita was born Nov. 2, 1948, the first of six children to Roger H. “Brownie” and Jeannine Dore Albert of Frenchville.
Anita was affectionately called “Lou” by friends and family. She graduated from Wisdom High School, St. Agatha, and received her registered nurse training at Ottawa General Hospital School of Nursing, Ontario. Anita served on the staff of Northern Maine Regional Hospital, Fort Kent, before joining the staff at NYU Medical Center, Mid-Town Manhattan, New York City. Anita met Jim Lomax in New York City during his last tour of duty with the U.S. Navy in 1983. He was introduced to Anita by his cousin, Coralie Graber and her husband, Justin, who had been patients at NYU Medical Center, where Anita was a head nurse. Anita and Jim commuted between Greensboro, N.C., where Jim was in graduate school at University of North Carolina at Greensboro and New York for a three-year period before their marriage in Portland, Aug. 8, 1986. Anita joined Jim in Greensboro, N.C., and worked at Wesley Long and Women’s Hospitals before becoming a certified case manager with Jefferson-Pilot and later Moses Cone Health System, and eventually with her last employer, UnitedHealthCare. Anita was recognized as an excellent registered nurse and case manager by all of her associates throughout her health care career. Anita grew to love North Carolina and Greensboro. She supported Jim in his volunteer efforts with Guilford College through the alumni association for almost 25 years making many new friendships. She also supported United Way and Susan Komen fundraisers. Somehow she managed to be a caregiver to her mother and father during serious illnesses in Maine and also do the same for several of Jim’s family members in North Carolina. Compassion was always present with the care. Anita was a super stepgrandmother to Paul and Ava, son and daughter of Jim’s son, Justin and his wife, Mikiko. They called her “Ani-Ani” and she was dearly loved. They were very happy when Anita would accompany Jim on his May and October visits to Seattle and then to Salem, Ore., and when they came to visit in North Carolina. Anita also cherished her visits to Portland, Ore., to visit Jim’s daughter, Kirsten and during Kirsten’s visits here. Jim enjoyed visits with Anita on her visits to Maine to visit her family in Northern and Southern Maine. When vacation time permitted, Anita loved to sneak off to beaches in the South during colder weather here. She seemed to be at her happiest sitting with her feet in warm ocean water or visiting her family.
Anita was predeceased by her father, Roger “Brownie” Albert; and by her dear sister, Phyllis Snowman of South Portland. She is survived by her husband, James “Jim” Redman Lomax; her mother, Jeannine Albert of Frenchville; brother, Marc Albert and wife, Nicole, of Edmundston, New Brunswick; sister, Cathie and husband, Gerry Beaulieu, of St. David; sister, Donna and husband, Bob Williamson, of Scarborough; sister, Susan and husband, Warren Fleckenstein, of Greensboro, N.C.; dear nieces, Helene, Michelle, Jennifer and Alyssa; nephews, Sam, Louis and Eric; and adorable little great-niece, Emma. She is also survived by stepchildren, Justin Lomax and wife, Mikiko, of Salem, Ore., and Kirsten Lomax Jenkins of Portland, Ore.; and by stepgrandchildren, Paul Kaito Lomax and Ava Minami Lomax of Salem, Ore. Anita cherished the friendship and caregiving of her good friends, Lee Washburn and Noreen Malone. She was grateful for the compassionate care by Dr. Murray and Dr. Livesay and staff at the Cancer Center at Wesley Long Hospital and by Hospice of Greensboro at home and at Beacon Place.
A funeral Mass will be held 11 a.m. Wednesday, May 25, at St. Paul the Apostle Catholic Church. Family visitation and reception will be immediately after the Mass in the church fellowship hall. Inurnment will be private. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to St. Paul’s Catholic Church, 2715 Horse Pen Creek Road, Greensboro, NC 27410 or Hospice and Palliative Care, Greensboro, 2500 Summit Ave., Greensboro, NC 27405. Online condolences may be made to
www.forbisanddick.com.