Lyle Aleman, general manager of the Redcliff-based Red Hat Cooperative, died June 4 in a Medicine Hat automobile accident. He was 44.
Red Hat is the marketer of southern Alberta’s greenhouse vegetables that are packed and shipped to major Canadian grocery chains including Sobey’s, Loblaws, Co-op, Walmart and Costco.
Aleman was a constant promoter of the co-operative and of greenhouse growers in the region. He had worked at Red Hat for 17 years and in 2012 oversaw a major expansion to the co-operative’s packing plant.
Aleman was born in Lacombe, Alta., and moved with his family to Medicine Hat in 1977. He grew up in the greenhouse business and later earned a commerce degree from the University of Lethbridge before joining the co-operative. Aleman was active in his church and in his children’s school.
He is survived by his wife, Carisa, and five daughters, as well as his parents, two sisters and numerous other members of an extended family.
His funeral was held June 9 in Medicine Hat.
