Claire Lomax, general counsel of the Lomax Companies, dies at 59

Mary Claire Lomax, CEO of the Lomax Family Foundation and general counsel of the Lomax Companies, died on Tuesday, May 31, 2022. She was 59.

She was a graduate of George School and received her bachelor’s degree from the University of Pennsylvania in 1984. She received a juris doctor degree from Georgetown Law School and was licensed to practice law in Pennsylvania and Maryland.

Lomax became chief executive officer of the Lomax Family Foundation (LFF), which was established in 2003. She also served for over 30 years as the general counsel for the Lomax Companies, where she worked closely with her father and her five siblings.

Her sister Sara Lomax-Reese, president and CEO of WURD Radio, Pennsylvania’s only African-American-owned talk radio station, reflected on her character and what she meant to the community.

“Claire was an amazing human being. She was smart, tough, kind, funny, generous and a champion for those who had less access to opportunities,” Lomax-Reese said. “We love and miss her, but know that she will continue to guide our journey with her clarity and strength.”

Lomax oversaw the family’s charitable efforts since they began, ensuring that LFF fulfilled its purpose to promote art, culture, health, wellness, education and charity in the African-American community.

Lomax was outspoken about issues related to diversity, and advocated for African-American inclusion in the leadership and governance of major civic organizations. She was chair of the Trustee Student Life Committee and was a board member of the William Penn Foundation and the African American Museum in Philadelphia. In 2016, she was selected by Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf to be a Distinguished Daughter of Pennsylvania.

She raised two children, a daughter, Dylan, and a stepson, Jared, providing a nurturing home in which they developed and thrived. She had a lifelong passion for the creative and performing arts, inspiring her daughter to pursue her dream of a career in theater.

She is survived by her children, Dylan and Jared; her mother; five siblings; 16 nieces and nephews; one great-niece; her former husband; and other family members and friends.

A celebration of life is being planned for the fall.

Joseph A. Fluehr III Funeral Homes handled the arrangements.