H. Avard Loomer

Henry Avard Loomer was a Canadian manufacturing businessman and municipal politician who served as the [List of mayors of Saint John, New Brunswick|Saint John, New Brunswick|mayor] of Saint John, New Brunswick, for just 26 days, from June 22 to July 18, 1969, when he died in office.

Life and career

Henry Avard Loomer was born on August 9, 1915, in Stellarton, Nova Scotia to parents Brett Baxter Loomer and Mabel Josephine Potter. He worked as a liquor manufacturer in Saint John, New Brunswick, serving in a firm for manufacturing agents as its president.
In early June of 1969, Loomer was elected mayor of Saint John, defeating the preceded Joseph A. Macdougall in the municipal election. He was sworn into office on June 22, 1969. As mayor, he was featured in an article about Saint John's urban renewal project by The New York Times, where he shared an optimistic view on the future of Saint John and its port, being "confident that is in an idea position to attract container shipments." His term in office was short-lived, serving as mayor for only 26 days until his death.

Personal life

On September 27, 1941, Loomer became married to Irene Stevens Curie. At the time, he lived in Saint John. They had one son, who died in 2022. On July 18, 1969, Loomer died at a hospital in Toronto, Ontario from a heart attack, two days after being admitted there for a physical examination. Following his death, his office was taken over by then-deputy mayor Arthur L. Gould, until James E. Calvin was elected on October 6, 1969.