Angela Mary Gerard, beloved wife, mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother, passed away peacefully in Halifax on July 9, 2026, at the age of 89, surrounded by her loving family.

She was born in 1937 in the Acadian village of Neguac, New Brunswick, and later moved to Chatham for her school years. Angela grew up surrounded by people who loved her deeply and instilled in her the strong values, warm spirit, and Catholic faith that would guide her throughout her life. A bright and gifted bilingual student, she excelled in school and developed lifelong friendships during this time.

As an only child, she carried a quiet dream of one day filling a home with children and siblings — a dream she fulfilled beyond measure. At the age of 18 she married the love of her life, Carl Gerard, beginning a journey together that would take their family across Canada and Europe as part of the Canadian Armed Forces. Through every move and new posting, Angela was the steady heart of the family — building a home wherever they landed and making each place feel like one. Throughout it all, Angela remained a strong, resilient and independent woman. In all, she called over 20 homes her own, but eventually settled in the Halifax area, back among her Maritime roots.

During her lifetime, she made so many wonderful friendships. She cherished all of these relationships and lit up whenever a friend called or visited. She was sharp and deeply engaged with the world around her – equally at home discussing politics, religion, or current events, be that at the dinner table or out and about with friends. She loved to debate, and anyone who knew Angela would agree that her conviction in all matters was a thing to behold!

Angela lived her Catholic faith with conviction, expressing it through devoted volunteer work and a lifelong commitment to charitable causes. She was an active volunteer and parishioner at Saint Benedicts Parish. Eventually she became a Dame Commander of the Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem, an organization she was proud to belong to.

Her family is her pride and her legacy — six children, 21 grandchildren, and 17 great-grandchildren. She always told them that everything she and Carl had was a gift from God. She wanted them to understand the importance of having faith in their lives. Angela and Carl’s faith has always proved to be a source of strength for their family.

She is survived by her six beloved children and their spouses: Debbie and Warwick Tong (Jenna, Laura, Lydia and Margot); Cindy and Bill Bolhuis (Emily, Philip and Genevieve); Colleen and Erin Connor (Carling, Lili, Brendan and Alan); Tom and Alison Gerard (Chris, Grant, Jack and Catie); Derek and Andrea Gerard (James, Mabel and Henrik); and Dan and Kelly Gerard (Olivia, Abby and Jacob); as well as her 17 beloved great-grandchildren.

She was predeceased by her beloved husband, Carl Gerard; her mother, Alice LeBreton; and by Archdeacon Thomas Parker and wife Laura Parker (aka Teacon and Patter), whose tremendous love, support, and guidance shaped the woman she became.

A special thank you to the staff and volunteers on 7A at the VG Hospital and Level 3 of Drummond Hall at Parkland Clayton Park.

Visitation will be held at Saint Benedict Parish in the St. Joseph Room on Wednesday, July 15, 2026, from 5pm to 8pm.

A funeral Mass will be celebrated at Saint Benedict Parish on Thursday, July 16, 2026, at 12:15pm. Followed by a reception in the Rev. Bernard O’Neill Auditorium.

In lieu of flowers, the family welcomes donations to a charity of their choosing.

“Everything we have is a gift from God.”