Bernice Antonette Hanley, 87, passed away peacefully on October 20, 2026, surrounded by loved ones, just weeks before her 88th birthday.

Born in Decatur, Nebraska, to Josephine Gilpin Harlan and Norman Harlan Sr., Bernice was a proud member of the Omaha Tribe of Nebraska. She attended Catholic school in Omaha and continued her education at Bacone College, formerly Bacone Indian University, in Muskogee, Oklahoma. She went on to earn her bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Northern Arizona University in Flagstaff, Arizona.

Bernice taught third and fourth grade for 35 years for the Bureau of Indian Education on the Navajo Nation in Tuba City, Arizona. She valued education and took great pride in helping Native children learn and grow. Following her retirement, she moved to Albuquerque, New Mexico, to be closer to her family.

Bernice was smart, loving and determined, with a strong moral compass. She loved her family dearly and was always there to support them, attending graduations, basketball games, competitions and other special occasions. Through the way she lived, she taught those around her the importance of hard work, strength and putting family first.

Throughout her life, Bernice experienced both great love and heartbreaking loss, but she remained strong and resilient through life’s challenges.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Josephine Gilpin Harlan and Norman Harlan Sr.; her husband, Max Hanley Jr.; her son, Max Hanley III; and her grandson, Shilo Hanley.

She is survived by her loving daughter, Erika Hanley; her brother, Norman Harlan Jr.; and numerous extended family members who will forever cherish her memory.

Bernice leaves behind cherished memories, valuable lessons and a lasting example of what it means to love and care for family. She was deeply loved and will be greatly missed.